California firms Brooks + Scarpa and Plant Prefab have unveiled a low-cost housing concept for fallow urban sites, which comprise prefabricated, modular units that can be arranged in various configurations.
Envisioned for vacant or underutilised lots, the Nest LivingHomes system was created in response to the dramatic rise in housing costs and homelessness in Los Angeles and other US cities.
The project was conceived by LA architecture studio Brooks + Scarpa in collaboration with Plant Prefab, a design and construction firm in the nearby city of Rialto.
Brooks + Scarpa and Plant Prefab created the low-cost housing concept in response to the housing crisis
Composed of stackable, prefabricated units, the design system is meant to offer a "scalable, cost-effective, high-quality solution to multi-family housing". In particular, the system offers a way to provide shelter for people living on the streets. "A main goal for the concept was to give homeless people a sense of dignity and shared social spaces," the team said.
Envisioned as a kit of parts, the system comprises rectangular modules for both public and private functions.
Called Nest, the system comprises modular units that can be assembled like a kit of parts
The modules can be assembled in different configurations, depending upon local needs and conditions. A single Nest building can rise up to five storeys.
Within the modules, the layouts can be customised based on a client's specific needs.
The syst...