Would you talk about your approach philosophy and the issue of sustainability?

Mr. Knafo: Agro-housing asks to introduce a new housing concept beyond architecture. In fact it carries with it a challenge to review the urban life as we experience it today and more specifically to present an affordable alternative in cultural and social terms to our actual housing order. Agro-housing suggests many promises in its agenda; creating a new type of housing related to nature and to human values, promoting the idea of sustainability and consciousness for it, strengthening the family social life, the community and the neighbourhood, creating an enormous freedom for the individual and society to choose their food and to take the responsibility to produce it. Le Corbusier defined the house as "machine d'habitation." We feel that in the present time, we should rethink the concept of housing away from the "machine" idea and more closely to nature and human values. Agro-housing in that philosophy might suggest a relevant idea to consider.  

Ms. Klimor: Our design approach is most appropriately summed up by quoting the philosopher Martin Heidegger who said, "To dwell is to garden." The incorporation of a communal greenhouse in a dense urban context has a profound positive impact on citizens' domestic lives.

What are your views on steel as a construction material, from a design perspective?

Mr. Knafo: For its sustainable qualities, steel is a perfect material to implement in building. Steel allows freedom and flexibility in the design of structures and the presentation of new ideas and concepts.

Ms. Klimor: On a sensual level, steel represents a technology that challenges the limitation of gravity by its lightness and flexibility to allow many configurations and programs. Its qualities enable many sustainable advantages, such as high recycling performance, adaptability to different needs, and varied amount of mix use and reuse possibilities. Steel enables prefabrication that contributes to high quality, precise accuracy, and a rapid construction process. In turn, this leads to a better economical performance and less environmental damages.

Mr. Knafo: The actual global crisis calls for new approaches toward urban life in general and housing in particular. We believe that we are facing a great need to reconsider our way of life and our concern to the future of humanity and earth.

Ms. Klimor: We are witnessing in China a change from a predominately patriarchal culture to an individualistic and anonymous people, from values of bonding with nature rooted in local and unique cultural codes, to consumption in a synthetic surrounding with universal codes. Agro-Housing suggests a bridge between the two worlds that simultaneously benefit the individual and contribute to the global goal of sustainability.

How do you feel about winning this competition?

Ms. Klimor: Our firm is extremely excited to see the potential realization of the Agro-Housing project. It is an extraordinary opportunity to develop an innovative idea that touches the basic existence of man, and has the capacity to become precedence for a new way of living.