Unity Housing: Affordable, Supportive Living for All

Many people today don’t have access to safe and affordable housing. This problem is especially serious for people who are homeless, low-income families, and military veterans. Our project aims to solve this by designing a permanent, supportive housing solution that is simple to build, cost-effective, and helps the community in other ways too. Using Autodesk tools like Tinkercad, we created a house design that can be used for building small housing communities in cities or rural areas. Our goal is to give people a place to live that also supports their growth, safety, and connection with others.

Autodesk Tinkercad – for 3D modeling of the housing layout and structure

The house uses a U-shaped layout, which creates an open space in the middle. This center space can be used as a shared garden or a small play or meeting area for residents. The building includes individual living units connected by a covered walkway. Each unit has its own entrance, windows for natural light, and enough space for a small family or single resident. The design allows for privacy while still promoting community bonding. The U-layout also helps with natural air flow and sunlight, making the space more comfortable and energy-efficient.

The house consists of two bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room, designed for both comfort and functionality. Initially, the design followed a rectangular layout similar to modern container homes. While container homes can be more affordable and quicker to construct than traditional buildings, they often fail to provide adequate insulation and ventilation leading to discomfort during extreme weather conditions.

The rectangular structure also reflected a common design style from our home village, where a small building was paired with a large backyard. Inspired by this concept, we reimagined the layout into a U-shaped structure, placing a garden at the center. This central garden not only improves airflow and ventilation but also acts as a relaxing green space for residents. A large glass window in the living room, facing the garden, allows natural sunlight to flood the interior, creating a bright, positive, and rejuvenating atmosphere. This new design blends traditional inspiration with modern needs, ensuring a healthier and more enjoyable living experience.

This housing design is created with cost-efficiency and practicality in mind, making it suitable for both urban and rural communities. By using modular construction methods and readily available materials, the overall building cost is kept low without compromising quality. Materials like structural insulated panels and metal roofing reduce long-term maintenance and energy costs, making the home more affordable over time. The design can also be adapted to local building codes and land availability, allowing it to be used on both small plots and larger community spaces. Because of its simple layout and fast assembly process, this house can be built quickly and easily making it a realistic solution for housing shortages and a good fit for government or NGO-supported projects. Overall, this project balances affordability, sustainability, and livability, offering a long-term solution to housing challenges.

This housing project doesn’t just provide shelter—it also helps the community grow. The central open space can be used for activities, gardening, or small workshops. The housing can support people who have faced long-term homelessness or veterans who need a stable place to restart their lives. It also opens doors to job creation by training local people to help build and maintain these homes. The shared spaces can also be used for education programs, job training, and mental health support. In this way, the housing supports both the physical and emotional well-being of the residents.