james george+hubct tech 2013

THIS IS A DUMB-ANALYSIS...
We are not trying to be intelligent in our analysis. We have simply taken all the data we could get from the cheapest sources i.e. newspapers and the internet, and analysed them in the light of what is going on in the country today. We are not trying to be intelligent; this is not a time for such showmanship. We are trying to, and quite rightly too, see the situation as it is and see how this can affect and create a future for us. We are trying to create new knowledge for the continuance of our craft, and this is in itself extremely urgent.

17,000,000 HOMES, N65TRILLION

the announcement...
A u g u s t 2 0 1 1

17million homes are needed, at 65 trillion naira, to alleviate the housing deficit that currently plagues our country, which grows, at about three million people per year. She also reiterated that 80% of Nigerians live in inadequate houses.

how to get the woman who sells akara at Suleja a mortgage, and what kind of home will she build? what is the philosophy of affordable housing design? how to construct an empty house without walls?

in the years before said epic announcement we had been asking dumb questions

FLIP OUT THE SPACE: IN OUR TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE, COURTYARD SPACES WRAP AROUND HABITATION.
It is our assumption that typical African Space was a courtyard wrapped around a few dwelling spaces. It is our express assumption that the typical African home would have been covered with a roof but for technology. Therefore the house should be a free space for activity.

TO CONSTRUCT NOTHING COSTS NOTHING...

THE DOUBLE SKIN: MUD BEHAVES LIKE A DOUBLE SKIN.

GEOMETRY: MAXIMUM SPACE. MINIMUM SQUARE AREA.

If it is a box, then it has not been properly geometrically determined. There would be residual and unused space at the centre that cannot be allocated to any use. What we do to try to reduce the pressure on the design and the geometry usually is to try to achieve maximum space from minimum square area. Construction is floor footage. The more square meters built the more expensive the dwelling.

STREAMLINE: FOR EFFICIENT AIRFLOW AND LIGHT

ROOF: THE SPACE OF THE ROOF WAS NOT FILLED WITH TRUSSES IT WAS A PART OF THE STRUCTURE.
Nowadays in a bid to cart off rain, roofs have become bolder and without anything to fill it. Usually roofs are a wasted creep space.

STRUCTURE THE WALLS THAT ARE BUILT SHOULD BE WALLS OF STRUCTURE THEREFORE THE SPACE IS A FREE SPACE. TO CONSTRUCT ONLY THAT WHICH IS NECCESSARY. TO CONSTRUCT NOTHING COSTS NOTHING...

7 8 9

MODULATE WATCH THE DIMENSIONS, AND DESIGN EACH COMPONENT TO AN EXTREME. GROUP: MANAGE THE SPACES TOGETHER TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF COMPONENTS. ALLOW THE COMPONENTS TO FLOW INTO EACH OTHER TO REDUCE DUPLICATION PREPARE FOR INDUSTRIALISATION BUILD IN MODULES, TO CREATE THE POSSIBILITY FOR MANUFACTURE

space
keep it slim. make space not walls to construct nothing costs nothing...

build a shed
a simple form extruded or swept

build free space

to construct nothing costs nothing

think industry
what of the future here???

max space min oor area

ol boy no be Lagos Island be dis?

build a shed... Always!!!

is the house not a shed for living in?

ask traditional questions

what did that form mean????

ask traditional questions 2

create clustered grouped communities

then we did the 3.7 million house...

SUSTAINABILITY AND INSIDES

THE GOVERNMENT DICTATES THAT THE SET BACKS IN THE AREA ARE 3 METERS ON EVERY SIDE ASIDE THE ROAD BOUND SIDES WHICH HAVE A SET BACK OF 6M. THE RED AREA IS THE BUILDABLE AREA

C L I E N T
THE CLIENT WANTS TO DEVELOP ONLY THE REAR HALF OF THE SITE, ONLY 324 SQUARE METERS

GOVERNMENT

THE GOVERNMENT DICTATES THAT THE SET BACKS IN THE AREA ARE 3 METERS ON EVERY SIDE ASIDE THE ROAD BOUND SIDES WHICH HAVE A SET BACK OF 6M. THE RED AREA IS THE BUILDABLE AREA

MOVEMENT

OUR GOAL IS TO GET THREE CARS PARKED. THIS IS A STRONG DETERMINANT OF THE FORM

5
6

10

8
3

INSIDES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. MASTER BEDROOM BEDROOM 2 GUEST BEDROOM LIVING ROOM DINING LAUNDRY KITCHEN PARKING LAWN

detail and a breathing system

then Mr Mba wanted much more

quick gear change from type 1 to type 2, 3.8-5.8 million...

RURAL TECTONIC KANO