Barreca & La Varra presents a scheme for zero carbon housing

Barreca & La Varra has won a competition with their proposal for a zero carbon ‘Housing Sociale’ scheme in Milan called INNESTO.

The firm worked in collaboration with Arup Italia for the ‘C40 Reinventing Cities’ competition to put forward the groundbreaking INNESTO scheme.

GALLERY  

Under the INNESTO scheme, Milanese suburbs are enriched by a new settlement principle, characterized by a range of open spaces around residential buildings, community food hubs and a zero waste food store. Between houses and public spaces, the relationship between the two is mediated by a series of green ‘diaphragms’, including educational gardens, woodland spots and mulberry trees.

The firm sought inspiration from forest landscapes with maximum biodiversity. They built upon this complex conceptual approach through variety of open spaces to allow for diversity in the interaction between people. This biodiversity is also charcterised in the shape of the buildings, built with different materials including timber and concrete across balconies, porches and terraces.

The scheme itself boasts an impressive array of sustainable features. The innovative heating system is powered by renewable sources including urban wastewater heat-recovery. The buildings are near-Zero Energy and are coupled with a preassembled construction technology made from bio-based materials which allow for the structure to be disassembled and recycled. Soil excavation has been minimized and any disturbed soil will be treated on site and repurposed for landscaping and preservation.

For more information please visit Barreca & La Varra






Get our enews

Design and development news that comes to you

Subscribe
                 


Art Deco Revival: The Charles’ elegant dining room and bar

The Charles Grand Brasserie & Bar is the latest hospitality venture to blend old-world opulence with contemporary flair, ...

Suites at Sea: Four eras of design set sail at Sea Containers

Creative director Jacu Strauss has partnered with vintage marketplace Vinterior to create four themed suites at London’s Sea ...

Coles Anchors Major Mixed-use Projects in Melbourne and Sydney

Coles is reinforcing its influence on Australia’s urban landscape, anchoring two major mixed-use residential developments in Melbourne and ...

Berlin Acoustics Reimagines The Modern Office

As open-plan offices dominate the modern workplace, the demand for quieter, more focused environments is rising. Berlin Acoustics, founded ...

Sydney Build Returns in 2025

Sydney Build, Australia’s largest construction and design show, opens doors at 9am on May 7th and 8th, at ...

  MORE  

Stay connected to the SPEC

Join our reader network by signing up to our weekly newsletter and receive design and development news straight to your inbox





Specifier Source is brought to you by the same company that publishes Home Design, Grand Designs Australia Magazine, Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Magazine, Outdoor Design Source, Build Home, CompleteHome and many more.

© 2022 Universal Media Co. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Universal Media Co.