ReHome is a modular building solution for the global housing crisis

rehome by cutwork: an affordable housing crisis solution

Paris-based architecture studio Cutwork presents ReHome, an off-site modular construction solution initially aimed at tackling war-torn Ukraine’s housing crisis. The practice has now broadened its scope to address the global housing shortage during both emergencies and stable periods, emphasizing shelter as a fundamental human right. ‘Cutwork was founded in the belief that the cities we live in were built for a world that no longer corresponds to the one we live in today. […] If the challenge of the last century was to densify cities vertically, the challenge of today is to rethink our spaces to make them more elastic in their usages,’ shares the studio. With this vision in mind, ReHome offers a cost-effective and swiftly deployable solution originating from Cutwork’s Cortex Shelter project, renowned for its self-built, affordable, long-term housing solution.

all renderings © Cutwork

exploring three key questions

Developed jointly with the GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), ReHome by Cutwork (see more here) offers flexible accommodations, effortlessly adjusting to the changing number of resident counts and their evolving needs. Adaptable in nature, this approach to architecture makes it a simpler alternative to traditional construction methods, devoid of typical constraints like time or location. It addresses three key questions for resolving the housing crisis across all territories: (1) What role can off-site, modular construction play to help combat the global housing crisis better, faster, and cheaper with immediate effect? (2) How can families and groups of 4-6 people in emergency housing situations live together in compact spaces while maintaining independence and personal space? (3) Can solutions be designed to extend beyond the present conditions of the housing crisis and continue to be useful once more homes are available universally?

ReHome by Cutwork

stacking modular 27 sqm units into a full residential block

Cutwork has specifically designed ReHome to meet and answer these demands. Composed of 27 sqm modular units, the blocks can be stacked like LEGO bricks to complete a full residential block up to six stories in significantly less time and cost compared with traditional construction methods (up to 40% less time for teams on-site to complete the building). This modular nature allows ReHome to adapt to a wide-range of conditions and contexts, enabling rapid re-urbanization across diverse environments. Another key to ReHome is its affordability: ‘Regarding the size of the challenge ahead, we can see how prefabrication reduces the cost dramatically for creating affordable, modular housing with economies of scale,’ notes Cutwork co-founder and lead architect Antonin Yuji Maeno.

the project addresses the global housing crisis and our right to shelter

rehome combines five apartment typologies and shared spaces

Cutwork also considered at length how ReHome can support residents’ well-being through potential homelessness by rethinking how compact space can accommodate full families of four to six people and avoid overcrowding in emergency situations. The resulting 27 sqm modular construction unit can therefore add up toto create five apartment typologies when non-load bearing walls are removed: Simple/Single Unit (27 sqm, up to 4 people); Double/Side x Side (54 sqm, up to 6 people); Duple/Stacked Unit (54 sqm, up to 6 people), Tetrix/L-Unit (81 sqm, up to 8 people); and Doublex / Combination Unit (108 sqm, up to 10 people). These typologies are complemented by five different shared spaces: Entrance Unit (27 sqm); Shared Community Kitchen (27 sqm); Staircase Unit (8 sqm); and Communal Rooftop Planted Area (27 sqm)

each Standard Living Unit is partitioned into three sections to create more flexibility

Each Standard Living Unit is partitioned into three sections to create more flexibility, ensuring residents are not completely on top of each other within the compact space and maintaining personal and private space. The front door opens into a small kitchen and dining area, the central block includes a bed nook and a bathroom, and the end block is a multi-use living room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a convertible sofa-bed. The bathroom, featuring a unique double-door frame, can be closed off as a single private space. Alternatively, the door to the bedroom and the door to the kitchen can be closed in second positions to make the shower and the toilet smaller, allowing different people to use the shower, the toilet, and the sink independently, all at the same time.

The Loft Living Unit includes a mezzanine which extends the ceiling height from three to four meters. Ladders access this loft space where two individual beds can be combined for couples or partitioned for individuals. The Shared Community Kitchen & Laundry Units are designed to encourage social interaction and enable residents to meet, connect, and regain a sense of community that may have been disrupted by the war. Inhabitants can gather, cook, and eat together, or just use the room as a co-working space or lounge. The unit also includes a small, shared recording studio for residents that includes good lighting, a high-quality microphone, and acoustic padding. This space is designed to empower residents to create, record their journey, collaborate together, and even process traumatic experiences during a crisis.

ReHome will not only help address society’s urgent housing needs; it is also carefully designed to stand the test of time. Once the crisis has eased, units can also provide versatile homes for couples, young professionals, students, and the elderly. Specific walls in all unit types are designated as non-load bearing and with no technical elements inside them. These walls can be removed, giving building owners flexibility to easily combine multiple units and many differen- sized apartments.

ReHome can create five apartment typologies