Social Village

A modern approach to social housing

A temporary home does not mean bad. Our village near Novorossiysk is a social project for disadvantaged groups. Its concept is to create an environment in which people and families who, for one reason or another, are homeless can rehabilitate themselves, work and regain their social status.

Location: Novorossiysk, Russia
Area: 1,4 ha
Project scope: 17 houses
Year: 2021

Community building

Recreational infrastructure

Work and training

Safe Environment

Budget optimization

The project was created and is being promoted as a patronage initiative by a group of entrepreneurs

In modern society, events often occur that deprive a person or family of housing without the possibility of moving to another place, thereby forcing to start life from scratch. The task for us as architects was not so much to create expressive architectural images and fashionable planning solutions, as to organize the environment allowing people to undergo social rehabilitation, to receive qualified assistance, to learn new professions and, as a result, to leave the settlement having resolved their main problems.

However, in addition to comfort, the environment in the community should also motivate a person to leave it by normalizing his life, so apartment spaces have common kitchens, individual houses of extremely modest size with only zonal division into blocks of bedrooms. Thus, a slight discomfort with everyday life acts as a motivation.

Village master plan

The main structure on the site is the main residential building with apartments and a common hall, but it also provides educational classrooms and 2 workshops for textile and carpentry production. The rest of the area is represented by three types of residential buildings without clearly defined plot boundaries. We also placed there sports fields, terraces for yoga and watching movies, household part.

Calculated figures

In this project, great attention is paid to the socialization of people and the formation of a community, so most of the area is devoted to recreational and public functions. At the same time, the residential buildings are located taking into account the pedestrian accessibility to these areas.

Project area - 1,4 ha

58%

Area
landscaping

8120,23 m²

25%

Coverage
area

3501,38 m²

17%

Area
of buildings

2270,70 m²

Technical and economic indicators of housing

Home typology	Type "A" house	House type "A-2"	Type "B" house	Type "V" house	House type "V-2"	Common dwelling house
Building area (m²)	80,6	80,6	98,3	113,6	113,6	1417,3
Construction volume (m³)	174	174	197	219	219	859
Total area (m²)	56	56	53	57	57	3120,1
Living area (m²)	42,2	42,2	26	32,9	32,9	417,7

Architectural design code

Budget implementation also played an important role, so the structural layout of the buildings was taken for a wooden frame, and landscaping as much as possible integrated into the existing landscape.

The design code of both architectural structures and landscaping elements is designed to reflect the ideological part of the whole project: not to cause associations with municipal social facilities, to inspire people, to express tranquility. Therefore, we use natural wood, stainless metal and natural materials with vegetation in the landscaping, avoiding bright basic colors.

Common dwelling house

When designing the residential building, our task, along with the functional organization of the space, was to minimize associations with the common image of social housing (dormitories and shelters). One of the techniques we used to achieve this goal was the organization of courtyard-patios with individual access from the apartments to the terrace-gallery around the building.

House plan. Public block

1.	Common room	128,60 m²
2.	Corridor	37,09 m²
3.	Laundry room	9,01 m²
4.	Dressing Room	8,17 m²
5.	Bathroom	1,27 m²
6.	Shower	2,33 m²
7.	Shower	2,35 m²
8.	Bathroom	1,27 m²
9.	Dressing Room	8,12 m²
10.	Loading	9,05 m²
11.	Workshop	51,76 m²
12.	Workshop	56,46 m²
13.	Storage room	4,86 m²
14.	Corridor	5,08 m²
15.	Living Room	23,48 m²
16.	Bedroom Cabinet	8,29 m²
17.	Bathroom	4,96 m²
18.	Bedroom	9,88 m²
19.	Bedroom	15,73 m²
20.	Living Room	38,57 m²

21.	Dressing Room	2,64 m²
22.	Bedroom	12,77 m²
23.	Bedroom	9,87 m²
24.	Bathroom	5,62 m²
25.	Bedroom	9,87 m²
26.	Bedroom	15,56 m²
27.	Living Room	38,34 m²
28.	Bedroom	15,81 m²
29.	Bedroom	9,61 m²
30.	Bathroom	4,90 m²
31.	Bedroom	9,61 m²
32.	Bedroom Cabinet	12,91 m²
33.	Dressing Room	2,59 m²
34.	Living Room	30,25 m²
35.	Bedroom Cabinet	7,97 m²
36.	Bathroom	4,14 m²
37.	Bedroom	8,12 m²
38.	Bedroom	12,45 m²
39.	Dressing Room	3,15 m²

TOTAL

642,48 m²

Functional zoning

Symbols

	Workshops
	Household unit
	Common room
	Patio area
	Living rooms type 1
	Living rooms type 2
	Living rooms type 3
	Living rooms type 4

Independent dwelling house

Individual houses are divided into three types depending on the total area and, as a consequence, are designed for different families. The design is based on basic human needs, with each house having its own terrace.

Residential building type А

Individual residences for a family with one child. The layout includes a basic composition of rooms, as well as a mezzanine floor with additional sleeping space.

House plan

1.	Kitchen-living room	21 m²
2.	Bedroom	13 m²
3.	Bathroom	4 m²
4.	Entresol	19 m²

TOTAL

56 m²

Residential building type B

Individual residences for a family with a school-age child. The difference from the previous type of house is the presence of a separate nursery with a place equipped for studies, as well as a dressing room.

House plan

1.	Kitchen-living room	27 m²
2.	Bedroom	10 m²
3.	Closet pantry	5 m²
4.	Bathroom	5 m²
5.	Children's room	7 m²

TOTAL

53 m²

Residential building type V

Individual residential homes for a family with two children. Despite the fact that the area of this house is almost the same as the previous two types, thanks to a rational approach in the formation of the layout, we placed a spacious children's room designed for two children with spaces provided for study.

House plan

1.	Kitchen-living room	23 m²
2.	Bathroom	5 m²
3.	Closet pantry	6 m²
4.	Bedroom	9 m²
5.	Children's room	14 m²

TOTAL

57 m²

Land Improvement

The landscaping is delicately integrated into the surroundings, replicating the existing landscape. In order to save money, tile paving has been replaced by gravel. Navigation stands, a pergola with recreation areas, playgrounds and the entrance group are made of wood, thereby repeating the style and aesthetics of the main buildings of the complex.

Gazebo design for 4 and 8 people

Designing a planter

Playground design

Thus, despite the social orientation of the project and budget constraints, we were able to create a modern functional village, whose main goal is to give people a chance to overcome difficulties in their lives and change their lives for the better.