Skip to main content
New European Bauhaus
News article8 June 2021

Affordable and sustainable apartments encouraging social interactions

We want to see sustainable housing solutions that are also affordable and lead to more inclusive communities.

45_Terrasshusen_web
45_Terrasshusen_web
45_Terrasshusen_web

What if our shared buildings were actually designed to bring us closer together?

Eskil Olsson shared through our website the example of Terrasshusen or "Terrace houses".

These small apartments contribute to an increasingly diverse supply of housing in the Knivsta municipality in Sweden. It initially consisted of villas from the 1960s & larger apartments built between 1970-2000 when the area evolved from being an industrial community to a residential area for commuters in the service sector.

The vision for Terrasshusen was to create affordable modern apartments with areas encouraging social interaction, primarily for young adults looking for their first home.

The apartments are small but space-efficient, light & airy, with generous ceiling height & windows in the facades on both sides of the building.

The shared roof terrace offers a gathering place for all residents. The inner courtyard has meeting places on several levels and is enclosed, offering a calm atmosphere and a sense of belonging.

At the same time, ample openings allow sunlight to reach the greenery.

The pioneering work undertaken in this fast-moving planning process, where the private sector & municipal authorities collaborated to formulate ideal conditions for efficiency, buildability, aesthetics & social initiatives, has enabled the developer to successfully complete over a thousand homes to date.

Developments in timber construction offer many opportunities for exciting architecture, innovation in design and production & improving the quality of life for residents.

Wood as the predominant material in careful combination with other materials helps achieve a beautiful, harmonious result.

Prefabrication offers a faster & higher quality building method compared to traditional on-site construction. The wooden modules are manufactured, weather-protected & quality-assured on modern production lines in factories where some stages are automated for increased efficiency & precision.

Is your initiative about making the places where we live more beautiful, sustainable & inclusive?
Share by end-June!

? Terrasshusen © Tove Falk Olsson

Details

Publication date
8 June 2021