This project was a finalist in the international Social Distancing Housing Block competition, seeking innovative architectural designs to address new dwelling models in a scenario of prolonged social distancing. Sheer 26, a four-level urban block designed for a post-pandemic era, features 26 double-occupancy cylindrical units, a community-driven ground floor, and a rooftop vegetable garden to promote sustainability for up to 52 homeless residents.

 

The transformative Sheer-Units are shaped by the needs and personas of the occupants. Offering variations to accommodate diverse lifestyles—from dreamers to musicians to dog lovers—the units echo the multifaceted nature of homelessness. Sheer-U, a self-structured compact home, features a translucent folding skin that can be manipulated to partially, fully, or completely enclose the space, giving dwellers control over their living environment.

 

The Sheer-ful living concept fosters habitat transformations by rotating units along the vertical axis, creating sculptural volumes, experiential spaces, and voids that enliven the streetscape. In a time of prolonged social distancing, it encourages interaction in new ways, engaging senses beyond physical proximity and challenging conventional housing norms.

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The project is featured on the Non-Architecture webpage