The Taurus project conceives recycled plastic housing as an opportunity to provide employment, decent housing and at the same time the elimination of plastic waste. Taurus is a model apartment block of social housing in the city of Nairobi, Kenya. It was designed for Conferhomes Ltd, a company dedicated to construction using environmentally friendly techniques. Conferhomes Ltd has the patent for the recycled plastic construction system Block, which has been used for this project.

A recycled plastic building in Kenya

The concept of Conferhomes Ltd is the use of a completely modular construction system that allows the design of any type of housing project based on plastic recycling. It integrates resistant and modular light elements that allow fast, safe and low-cost installations.

Its promoted the use of post-industrial plastics as raw material. Adding additives to improve mechanical properties and fire safety.

The plastic waste its a problem in many countries on the African continent, given the lack of infrastructure for garbage collection and water treatment. This causes it to accumulate, causing true ecological disasters. Conferhomes Ltd It seeks to provide employment in the area by requiring labor to collect the plastic, crush it and manufacture the parts by extrusion. Helping both the environment and the local economy. And building social housing.

Blockplas system model apartments

Taurus, recycled plastic housing is conceived as a model block of four-story apartments. It is configured in two wings around a nucleus of communications with the staircase and two elevators. It provides four homes per floor of 80 m², 16 homes per block.

The type apartments have an area of ​​80 m², providing two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room and kitchen. The apartment is a model of the possibilities of the system, being able to insert other distributions.

Building structure

Regarding the structure, the use of a metallic structure is proposed in order to obtain a quick execution of the work and increase the possibilities of recycling the whole. On the other hand, by planting large-scale construction, implementation costs are reduced.

The insertion of the Bloqueplas pieces from Conferhomes is carried out by means of a box and a dowel, inserted into recycled plastic beams. This allows the pieces to be enclosed in a frame, forming cloths that will be attached to the sturgetal elements with bolts.

For the execution of the slabs, the collaborating plate is chosen. Allowing to use the plastic beams that support the façade panels as a parapet for the concrete layer.

Definitively the use of recycled construction material for Architecture allows to rethink the possibilities and priorities when projecting. Conceiving social, ecological and labor benefits apart from the construction itself. This should make us reflect on why so much material and garbage have been discarded for so many years.

Other residential architecture projects

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