Catalyst Housing Project

A Nugget of Hope Catalyst Single Family Housing Prototype

Duy Vo || MSSD ‘12-’13

Project Background

I was first exposed to this project at the UNAVSA (Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations) conference where I represented the Vietnamese Student Association at the University of Oregon as the newly-elected co-director.

Though presented tenuously, Catalyst housing project caught my attention for the potentials it possesses. I approached Caroline Ticarro-Parker, the executive director of the Catalyst Foundation, and expressed my interest in volunteering my design service and pushing this project forward. The organization was given a rice paddy (photos on the left) as a building site. There is a 3-meter water table at the site. Initially the organization estimated the cost for each prototype close to $5000, which in my opinion was a bit too expensive to build a simple brick and mortar home with no proper kitchen space. Having recognized the flaws in the proposed design and the high expense that it would entail, I brought forward to Caroline my housing prototype. The design is composed of mainly a recycled wood structure with bamboo shading. The whole entire structure sits on a stilt system that ultimately reducing the cost stemming from in-filling the rice paddy. She then brought the my idea back to Rach Gia, Kien Giang, a Southern province in Vietnam, and presented to the ethnically Khmer Vietnamese community as well as some local construction businesses. The design was well-received and later estimated to be built with $2500 at most. However, the project was stalled due to complications caused by difficult government officials. In addition, the rice paddy was promised to the organization for only 18 months. Unless construction is taken place, it would be taken back by the local government. Because of the complications, the project has not been moving forward since.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

North SIDE

During the design process, Caroline informed me that their initial proposed prototype did not have enough space to have proper kitchen. Instead, a portable stove was the only option. In addition, the majority of the estimated $5,000 would have gone into in-filling the 3-meter water table of the rice paddy. That, in turn, reduced the money that would have been spent for the design itself. Having recognized that, I decided to place the structure on a stilt system in order to eliminate the cost issue as well as to dedicate more money for the design. My prototype has two separate floors and is spatially organized. It has North orientation to minimize direct solar gain from Southern exposure. I was able to provide a proper kitchen for the family an ample amount of space for the sleeping quarter upstairs.

exploded view

View of the model from the south facade Note: In reality, this south facade is a blank plastered wall used specifically for direct south sunlight absorption, but because of this illustration, the wall was temporarily detached

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Living room 3.5m (w) x 3m (d) x 2m (h) Kitchen 2m (w) x 3m (d) x 2m (h) Bathroom 1.5m (w) x 3m (d) x 2m (h) Study room 2m (w) x 3m (d) x 2m (h) Bedroom 5m (w) x 3m (d) x 2m (h)

Note: the main staircase is 1 meter wide.

North Facade

EXTERIOR VIEW

traversed section

Thank you