Comments on: 123 Social Green Housing by SOMOS Arquitectos

By: Tokhir Dadev

Tokhir Dadev — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:01:45 +0000

Why Green Project buildings shoul be green? Cant help thinking that it was done to win the project… and the green was just (ab)used as a winning point, rather than actually thinking about making it really “green”.

By: r

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:05:18 +0000

I agree with boreanaz. Well said!

By: boreanaz

boreanaz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:23:42 +0000

I think that here’s a little missunderstandig with the translation of the word “social” from spanish to english.
In fact, in english, “social” means something concerning to the society or the social problems, but in spanish is used to say “social” when talking about the kind of housing promoved by the government, that is cheaper due to the government’s help and subventions.
This is, in most cases, the one and only “social” aspect on that kind of housing, it does not concern about social problems of people living in them, but solves the matter of getting a cheap house when you’re not in a good economical situation. In other way, this can be understood as a social problem too.
This kind of social housing in spain used to be uglier, made with poor materials, with bad layouts, due to its cheaper price, but seeing this work, we can admite that it’s possible to create good architecture without being so expensive, I’m sure there’s a lot of work behind this building, and this effort is something to appreciate when talking about “social housing” in Spain.
About the building itself I’m just going to say that I prefer corridors (yes) but to the outside (this looks, hum… like a jail?? not at all, but maybe a little claustrophobic), and, although I like the work on this facade and in the building itself (it makes the surrounding a little bit “coloured” or “happier” and leaves back the “sad” and “dry” sensation) I think that it should have more environmental aspects if it wants to be so called “green”.

By: aeolus

aeolus — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:27:13 +0000

Unfortunately, the firm’s website was designed by someone who had no idea of what was required so the documentation that would allow a fair analysis and intelligent comment is illegible. Yes the courtyard looks forbidding but I don’t think it’s the whole story.

By: BH

BH — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:16:21 +0000

Social housing…but no photographs of the housing itself. So what is the living space actually like? Well, even without photos or drawings it is obvious… small windows, no view, little light, no private external space. Perhaps this is why there are no photos presented here?

I have worked in housing (albeit the UK) and it is often very difficult to achieve quality, especially dealing with tight budgets and subsequent ‘value’ engineering. The architects here seems to have been allowed a bit of scope to ‘do something interesting’, however from the photographs that they have chosen to present it seems their attentions were mainly focused on the common areas and not the actual living space! While this is important the quality of the living space should be the priority.

By: rope

rope — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:53:43 +0000

Its great to be first, then everybody agrees with you

By: KB

KB — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:16:02 +0000

I wonder why the windows have to be green, how would the view of the world from the inside be?

By: Lizzie

Lizzie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:51:17 +0000

I agree with Boohboo. There must be a better spacial solution to the way people have to live. If this is all we can come up with it is not worth living green – why would we want this kind of life to be sustained?

By: sigp

sigp — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:50:37 +0000

I am not an architect. I have seen several times this same image in the Hollywood movies where they show US prisons. Nowadays, building a social building like this is very scary. Please make an effort to improve our social needs.

By: floyd landis

floyd landis — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:30:55 +0000

This could very well be the next Pruity-Igoe. Yes, your super creative, now read some history.