The approach we used in order to identify the problems and the environmental qualities of the site came from the need for a requalification project that respects environmental sustainability guidelines, limiting the ecological impact of the building’s footprint. Among the main issues highlighted by the competition guidelines the following ones seamed to us the most relevant ones: the need to reduce drastically water and energy consumption, to use non polluting materials, adopt low impact techniques and to consider the social and financial sustainability of the project and the need for innovation altogether. The peculiar form of the site (narrow and long) strongly influenced the project, which is in fact characterized by a closed building front on the north side and a more open one on the southern side of the site: the latter favors panoramic views over the surrounding landscape from the living area of the dwellings. Vegetation plays an important role in the project and it takes the form of private gardens for the ground floor apartments and green roof layout that has multiple functions: it acts as an acoustic and thermal barrier and it absorbs around 70% of rain water that is later recycled and used as water for irrigation. The roof structure also embeds photovoltaic louvers that act as shading devices and contribute to the production of electricity, and solar panels that produce hot sanitary water and air conditioning for the dwellings.

With: Eng. Massimo Panini, Eng. Fausto Panini, Lamberto Nicoletti, Laura Pedata, Gabriele Misso.
Collaborators: Maria Luigia Micalella, Valeria Giampà, Cristiana Lopes

PROGRAM: Design of experimental social housing dwellings
LOCATION: Itri (LT)
DATE: June 2009
CLIENT: A.T.E.R., Ordine degli Architetti della provincia di Latina
BUDGET: 1.420.000,00€
AREA: 1.162,00 m2
STATUS: –
FEATURED IN: –
RELATED LINKS: Europaconcorsi