An architect incorporates CompactHabit’ modular building system into a tender to build micro-unit aparments in NY

28 September, 2012
NYC new york proposal compacthabit eMii modular building affordable housing hlm logement modulaire

This modular building system patented by Compact Habit, a Catalonian company, forms part of the project that French architect Lionel Scharly has presented in a tender to construct a building of 50 micro-unit apartments in Manhattan. Recently, New York City Hall has implemented an ambitious plan to resolve the housing shortage; especially regarding very small apartments given that there is a total of 1.8 million homes in the city with only 1 or 2 people residing there.

Local authorities estimate an approximate deficit in New York City of about 800,000 micro-unit apartments, a type of residence that Compact Habit has been manufacturing in recent years for the Catalonian market. This call for tenders to construct new apartments has been organized by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Thirty-three projects by professionals from different countries have been submitted to this initiative. The winner will be announced at the beginning of next year.

The project by Lionel Scharly is located in the Kips Bay neighbourhood where there are exceptional shopping districts, high-rise apartment buildings and various departmental buildings belonging to New York University.

Recently in Spain, two architectural teams won design competitions for reconstruction of the San Fernando and La Viña neighbourhoods in Lorca using incorporation of the Compact Habit total industrialized modular building system (eMii for it’s acronym in Spanish).