Best social housing community design for Global Awards shortlisted
LONDON: The shortlist for the best social housing community design has been declared.
Over 250 programmes have been considered by the awards secretariat. One of the finalists in this category is shown above.
Baiziwan Social Housing is the first affordable housing project by MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong. Situated near the CBD in Beijing, the project covers an area of 93,900 square meters, with a total construction area of 473,300 square meters.
The scheme is comprised of 12 residential buildings collectively providing 4000 households. Since its completion, almost 3000 families have moved in.
The project offers dwellings for welfare dependents and young professionals. The project is a culmination of Ma Yansong’s extensive research into social housing, which began in 2014. Under the thematic topic “The Sociality of Social Housing,” MAD’s research focuses on the historical development and design of social housing across different countries. The research has been further developed by Ma Yansong’s own engagements with this subject while teaching at Tsinghua University and the Beijing Architecture University.
Beijing’s Public Housing Center invited Ma Yansong to design the Baiziwan Social Housing later in 2014. MAD saw the commission as an opportunity to improve the living conditions of low-income communities and introduce a fresh perspective to the current dull residential design image in China.
The Global Award winner will be announced in December in London. (Globals)
