ACSA Timber in the City

Details

The System The building's primary structure is a timber frame, onto which modular wall panels are hand-assembled on-site using a dovetail joinery system — requiring no specialized equipment or adhesives. Panels are filled with treated sawdust insulation, a material that can be sourced directly from construction waste generated by other projects, closing a loop that most building systems leave open.

The Unit Each unit fits within a 16×25 foot planning grid, with a net interior footprint of 15×18 feet. To maximize usable space within that envelope, the design draws on the principles of Japanese micro-apartment living — incorporating a loft level and a sunken floor zone to create distinct spatial experiences without expanding the plan.

The Facade The incorporation of loft and sunken spaces within each unit creates an asymmetric vertical profile, with one side of the unit rising taller than the other. When a unit is placed alongside its mirror image, the two trapezoidal walls together form a hexagonal shape — repeated across the building's face to produce a striking geometric facade that emerges directly from the logic of the interior.

Specifications