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First Stone
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Other Projects by Barberio Colella Architetti
First Stone
First Stone – 3D-printed housing units in New Orleans
First Stone stems from a practical question: is it possible to build a decent, hurricane-resistant, energy-efficient and affordable home for young couples and single people who cannot access traditional mortgages? The New Orleans area in Louisiana, repeatedly hit by extreme weather events and marked by deep inequalities in access to housing, is the ideal setting to test this hypothesis. The project, developed by Barberio Colella Architetti with Angelo Figliola, proposes a system of 3D-printed housing units with a target cost of $99,000 per base unit.
The design challenge was threefold: to keep costs down without sacrificing spatial quality, to withstand hurricane-force winds without resorting to heavy superstructures, and to apply genuine (not merely decorative) bioclimatic design principles in a humid subtropical climate. The solution is a compact volume with a north-south oriented plan and an aerodynamic shape, tested using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The long sides face north and south, sheltered respectively by adjacent dwellings and from the rain; the short sides, facing east and west, feature large glazed openings towards the private garden, allowing for cross-ventilation (living area to the east, sleeping area to the west). Generous overhangs provide protection from direct sunlight and driving rain.
The base unit measures 45 m² (484 sq ft) and contains everything necessary for a single person or a couple. The system is designed to be doubled in size: by adding a second module, the floor area increases to 90 m² (968 sq ft) with 2–3 bedrooms. The photovoltaic panels on the roof power shared batteries as part of an energy community: each unit contributes to the neighbourhood’s electricity grid, reducing individual costs and increasing the system’s resilience. 3D-printed materials reduce construction times and site waste compared to traditional timber construction typical of US residential building.
The masterplan envisages a clustered layout where the units are arranged to form shared spaces and pedestrian paths, fostering community life. First Stone is not an emergency housing project: it is a proposal for a new neighbourhood model where construction technology (3D printing) serves a specific social objective, and where sustainability is not an additional luxury but a requirement integrated into the base cost of $99,000.
Technical details:
Location: New Orleans area, Louisiana, USA
Year: 2024
Client: Research project
Typology: 3D-printed residential housing
Area: 45 m² (base unit) / 90 m² (double unit)
Status: Concept
Designers: M. Barberio, M. Colella, A. Figliola
Target cost: 99,000 USD per base unit
Main materials: 3D-printed concrete (ICON printer) for the walls; CNC-cut LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) for the roof and joinery; photovoltaic panels on the roof; shared storage batteries (energy community)
First Stone stems from a practical question: is it possible to build a decent, hurricane-resistant, energy-efficient and affordable home for young couples and single people who cannot access traditional mortgages? The New Orleans area in Louisiana, repeatedly hit by extreme weather events and marked by deep inequalities in access to housing, is the ideal setting to test this hypothesis. The project, developed by Barberio Colella Architetti with Angelo Figliola, proposes a system of 3D-printed housing units with a target cost of $99,000 per base unit.
The design challenge was threefold: to keep costs down without sacrificing spatial quality, to withstand hurricane-force winds without resorting to heavy superstructures, and to apply genuine (not merely decorative) bioclimatic design principles in a humid subtropical climate. The solution is a compact volume with a north-south oriented plan and an aerodynamic shape, tested using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The long sides face north and south, sheltered respectively by adjacent dwellings and from the rain; the short sides, facing east and west, feature large glazed openings towards the private garden, allowing for cross-ventilation (living area to the east, sleeping area to the west). Generous overhangs provide protection from direct sunlight and driving rain.
The base unit measures 45 m² (484 sq ft) and contains everything necessary for a single person or a couple. The system is designed to be doubled in size: by adding a second module, the floor area increases to 90 m² (968 sq ft) with 2–3 bedrooms. The photovoltaic panels on the roof power shared batteries as part of an energy community: each unit contributes to the neighbourhood’s electricity grid, reducing individual costs and increasing the system’s resilience. 3D-printed materials reduce construction times and site waste compared to traditional timber construction typical of US residential building.
The masterplan envisages a clustered layout where the units are arranged to form shared spaces and pedestrian paths, fostering community life. First Stone is not an emergency housing project: it is a proposal for a new neighbourhood model where construction technology (3D printing) serves a specific social objective, and where sustainability is not an additional luxury but a requirement integrated into the base cost of $99,000.
Technical details:
Location: New Orleans area, Louisiana, USA
Year: 2024
Client: Research project
Typology: 3D-printed residential housing
Area: 45 m² (base unit) / 90 m² (double unit)
Status: Concept
Designers: M. Barberio, M. Colella, A. Figliola
Target cost: 99,000 USD per base unit
Main materials: 3D-printed concrete (ICON printer) for the walls; CNC-cut LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) for the roof and joinery; photovoltaic panels on the roof; shared storage batteries (energy community)
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