M/O LIVING - London's New Affordable Housing

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M/O LIVING

RIBA Journal Competition Entry - Commended - SterlingOSB Habitat Award

M/O Living utilises modular architecture by creating a platform for a constantly changing urban structure. Based at Holywell Lane in Shoreditch, London the ground level remains open, offering a space for heterogeneous social encounters. A number of SterlingOSB vaulted arches establishes a relationship to the sites context and provides the structure for the M/O Living above; the combination of relationship to context and innovative design approach through SterlingOSB has created a pioneering and dramatic space where communities can gather in the midst of the city and host events such as markets, discussions, and exhibitions

Each M/O Living unit has been designed to provide affordable inner-city housing, through its spatial design and values towards creating a collective of selfsustaining communities. Once each of the modules has been transported to site, they are craned into position providing numerous variations and opportunities within the voids and rooftops for shared values such as self-sustainable living to be practised.

Constructed in the main from SterlingOSB, the one-bedroom M/O Living units provide 43m² of prefabricated design. SterlingOSB features heavily throughout, and has been used structurally, thermally and aesthetically, this approach has been left to be seen, to show the honesty and craftsmanship with in the creation of bespoke CNC’d furniture and exposed structure. Water, heating, and electricity can be easily connected to existing facilities allowing for units to be stacked up or taken away.

Each Unit is served by a central light well, providing the inner spaces with natural light, ensuring exciting and desirable spaces to live in. M/O Living provides a platform for a discussion based on bold ideas and alternative methods of living in order to stimulate growth across the city and address the importance of modular construction towards building ample homes for London’s existing and future residents.