NovoHouse seeks to capture the latest steel construction technology to develop an affordable housing model that allows low-income families to live in improved home environments. Working closely with its partner Baosteel, Living Steel and Cartwright Pickard Architects have combined their expertise in affordable housing and off-site construction methods to develop this unique project.

The NovoHouse blueprint is flexible to allow for local site constraints, culture, living habits and space standards. The lightweight steel frame is independent from the cladding structure and is designed to be permanent and can be designed to resist local climatic extremes, such as earthquakes and cyclones. The structural elements are light enough to be carried by donkey or boat, which ensures the house is suitable even for remote areas.

The NovoHouse plans to use cold-formed steel to create the structural framework for the house, which can be created as prefabricated panels in a factory either at the site or nearby. One of the aims of the NovoHouse is that once on location, local, unskilled labourers will be able to assemble the lightweight structures easily, by hand. The NovoHouse housing system aims to be a straightforward and logical kit of parts.

Though the steel structure is permanent, indigenous materials will be used to clad the dwellings, such as handmade mud bricks, straw bales, timber, or bamboo – almost any cladding material that is available locally and suits the climate.

Sustainability has been a major consideration throughout the design process. All steel contains recycled content and is itself recyclable. The flexibility of the NovoHouse will allow low-cost passive technologies to be incorporated in, or retro-fitted to, the customised design. The aim of using local labour, and local materials, will help generate income in the areas where the housing is planned, helping to stimulate local economies.

Scott Chubbs, Director Living Steel, “At Living Steel we strive to support the development of safe, sustainable and affordable housing solutions. Steel is an ideal material with which to achieve these aims, and with the continued input of the world steel industry and innovative architects, we aim to continue improving our work to develop homes for our growing population.”

So far, eight demonstration versions of the NovoHouse are onsite in the Dujiangyan area of China which will house a total of fourteen families.

Hongkou Development Slideshow

 

Click on the slide shows to see progress on the Honhkou and Shiyang sites.

 

Shiyang Development Slideshow