Abstract

Through a public call, the 16 Vallecas Housing Project (Madrid) was selected by the Superior Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain to represent Spain in the Project Green Building Challenge in Australia in 2008.The proposal is located in a newly created peri urban area, where the spatial framework of the historical city is non-existent and where architecture should not evade its ability to "create" place. It's a bioclimatic building that respects the environment. A compromise between improved technical capabilities and a moderate cost of production was acheived through a rational use of new materials. Contrary to the existing standard of the compact housing block, we intend an increasing dissolution of the block and a maximum permeability between the open community spaces and the public space of the city. For energy efficiency, the homes are furnished with mechanisms optimized through the proper orientation of the building (toward the southwest, placing an oriented ventilated façade with shutters set flush to it), thereby ensuring that the light and heat from the sun is maximized. This work has been regarded as the Best Performance in Housing Protected for new construction of public a Spanish initiative in 2009 by the Association of Promoters and Builders of Spain (ASPRIMA).These new forms of housing planned by the Camacho-Maciá Architects architecture Studio are intended to prevent the negative environmental impacts usually produced by new constructions. The reduction of co2 emissions, the thermal efficiency, recycling of materials as well as durability and flexibility are some of the objectives that lead us to think and build forms of living with less environmental impact.