Essential Homes Research Project is a collaboration between the Norman Foster Foundation and sustainable solutions provider Holcim, presented during the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. It comprises a full-scale prototype meeting essential human needs, including safety, comfort, and well-being, primarily aimed at addressing the issues facing the 103 million displaced people – of which a third are children – and 1.6 billion further people live in inadequate accommodation. The objective is to design homes, not shelters, and to create communities instead of camps.

Construction and affordability were key issues addressed in the project. The cost of materials for a fully equipped 54 square metre home is 20,000 Euros. The design of Essential Homes is modular, and based on an iterative and adaptable process. The homes can be easily produced, transported, and expanded according to need.

Circular by design, each modular component of the Essential Home can be reused or recycled at the end of its lifespan. A comparison of an Essential Home with a brick-and-mortar house of the same surface shows significant embodied carbon reduction: 5,9 tons of CO2 compared to 19,9 tons of CO2 - a difference of almost 70%. The project includes a range of sustainable building solutions, including:

● Low-carbon rollable concrete sheets serving as an external shell, providing physical safety.
● Permeable pathways made of low-carbon concrete connecting the homes, including light-absorbing aggregates reflecting natural light at night, reducing energy use and light pollution.
● Energy-efficient insulation systems from boards to low-carbon aerated concrete foam ensuring thermal and acoustic comfort.
● Foundations made of recycled construction aggregate materials, further driving circular construction.

The Essential Homes Research Project combines material and architectural innovation to build a future that works for people and the planet. It provides practical, affordable, and well-designed homes and places sustainability at the heart of housing innovation.