CHAPTER 3
THE ARCHITECTURE As the Harvard graduates Aravena and Iacobelli (2016: 14) noted: “any of us in a middle-class family can live reasonably well in a house of between seventy and eighty squared metres,” thus, modelling the parallel building on a typical complete middle-class home. Yet the initial dwelling, prior to expansion, for the Quinta Monroy residents is, thirty-two squared metres. Each unit consists of two dwellings . One ground floor house with the ability to expand from the initial six squared metres to nine squared metres. One ‘duplex’ second floor apartment, of what had perceived to be another six squared metres but, befittingly “available money allowed to us to delivery only half of it, so it resulted in a double height loft space of three by six, with the same program as the house” (Aravena and Iacobelli, 2016: 112). The structure was a block work c-section, providing the necessary fire resistance and acoustic insulation between the units, separated by what Elemental describe as a “horizontal dividing wall” (Aravena, A. Iacobelli, A. 2016: 112) simply, a concrete slab. Inside the empty shell are timber framed wall partitions with only one side of sheet material. No mention of water proofing when considering the bathroom area, and from photos (see fig.10) suggestive of none. The fixtures the beneficiaries would receive are, a kitchen sink, toilet, hand basin and a shower. Through the most optimistic lens, you could reword the aforementioned as a blank canvas, with the families being the artists, to create their own composition within the framework of the house. An expectation installed, for the growth of the architecture. “Adaptation, self-construction, and community innovation are certainly central issues, but approaching them by leaving half of the house unbuilt can easily lead to the aestheticization of poverty and subsequent process of marginalisation.”(Boano, C. and Vergara Perucich, F. 2016: 67) “The housing policy demanded” (Aravena, A. Iacobelli, A. 2016 p112) a new built ‘home’ to be of at least a mere twenty-five squared metres. Including
Fig. 10 Inside Quinta Monroy at handover. Palma, C. (n.d: 164)
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