“Home Modification” Project awarded the Winner of International Union of Architects (UIA) 2030

The “Home Modification Low-Income Families” Project, realised by Prof. Maggie Ma and her team at Domat Architects, has been awarded the Winner of International Union of Architects (UIA) 2030 in Category 3 (Adequate, Safe & Affordable Housing).

For years, the team worked with local social workers, studied the challenges facing those living in the sub-divided units and developed a flexible furniture system which maximises the utility of space. The system can be adapted and rearranged to suit the diverse and changing needs of each family, delivering a pragmatic response to the overcrowding situations of low-income families, thereby improving their lives. The positive user feedback shows how a relatively modest input can deliver a myriad of associated benefits, demonstrating ways in which creativity and design thinking can bring a larger impact on both individuals and society.

The UIA 2030 Award, a partnership with UN Habitat, promotes the work of architects that contributes to the delivery of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The competition invited architects around the world to submit entries for built projects which demonstrate design quality and have made significant contributions towards achievement of some of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and/or their targets.