The competition targeted locations for affordable-housing prototypes: Recife, Brazil; Wuhan, China; and the Thames Gateway area on the east side of London. Brazilian firm Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados won for its Recife design, Knafo Klimor Architects of Israel won the China component of the competition, and British firm Cartwright Pickard Architects won for its Thames Gateway prototype.

The worldwide need for sustainable housing is staggering. According to Living Steel, an average of over 4,000 housing units would need to be constructed every hour for the next 25 years to meet needs of the burgeoning world population. Potential benefits of steel include recyclability and suitability for precise prefabrication off site.

Essential Brazil

The competition program for Brazil asked firms to design an apartment building for low-income families in Recife, a fast-growing eastern port city with a population of 1.5 million. The project site, which is slated for a number of comparable buildings, is located about seven kilometers (4.3 miles) from the downtown core. The low-rise building project was to include 16 two-bedroom units averaging 50 square meters (540 square feet) each, as well as a playground, swimming pool, and child-care center, at a target cost of just US$300 per square meter ($28 per square foot).   >>>