The lack of affordable housing is every government's worst nightmare. But one enterprising architecture firm has come up with a novel solution to turn a rows of out-of-use garages into cosy £11-a-week pop-up bedsits.
The proposed scheme is the brainchild of architects, Georgie Revell and Sarah Jenkinson from Levitt Bernstein following a competition run by the Building Trust to provide low-cost housing in deprived urban areas.
The 11.5 square metre pop-up homes in Dalston will contain a bed, small kitchen and bathroom with just enough room for a modest table and two chairs. And there will be just enough outdoor space to park a bike.
A laundry plus further kitchen and dining facilities will also be available, with every fifth garage set to be turned into a communal area for residents. Still, there will be NO room for clutter, so hoarders need not apply!
The homes are expected to cost around £13,000 each – a fraction of the usual cost of a London pied a terre – and the components are completely demountable and reusable.
What's more, the the HAWSE (Homes through Apprenticeships With Skill for Employment) pop-up structures will be manufactured off-site as kits, so there will be minimal disruption to existing residents. They will then be assembled by apprentices to teach them essential construction techniques. It really is a win-win-win situation.
'The proposal targets under-used spaces in high density areas where land value is hight and rising,' says winning architect Georgie Revell. 'We believe it offers a creative and practical interim solution between other development opportunities and we're really excited about the potential to devolop the scheme.'
So could this be the future of affordable social housing with a heart? It certainly is an incredibly genius way to regenerate rows and rows of tatty garages. Levitt Bernstein is already in talks with a number of local authorities and if successful, you could be popping in to a pop-up home near you soon!
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