--- slug: unit-27 title: Unit 27 — Prefabricated luxury micro-flats for the cities of the future hero_subtitle: A 27-square-metre modular housing system that frees up outdoor space and re-establishes direct contact with the urban and natural landscape. year: "2018" location: "" typology: Modular housing vertical_primary: Sustainable Design vertical_primary_slug: sustainable-design badge_raw: 2018 · Modular housing · Sustainable Design scheda: Year: "2018" Client: Project research Typology: Modular housing — prefabricated micro-flats Area: 27 square metres per unit Status: Concept – design research Designers: Barberio Colella Architects Publications: Rethinking The Future — re-thinkingthefuture.com/landscape/6305-unit-27-by-barberio-colella-architetti images: - filename: unit-27-exterior-01.jpg alt: Exterior rendering of Unit 27, seafront development caption: Exterior view of the Unit 27 modular complex in a coastal setting, featuring green terraces and shared spaces opening out onto the landscape. - filename: unit-27-exterior-02.jpg alt: Exterior rendering of Unit 27 terraces in the neighbourhood caption: The terraces are designed as shared spaces for the neighbourhood, which can be arranged with vegetation and furniture to encourage social interaction. - filename: unit-27-elevation.jpg alt: "Unit 27 Open-Plan Floor Plan: Natural Light and Landscape Views" caption: "The elevation reveals the sweeping openings in the landscape: the open-plan interior does not feel cramped thanks to the natural light and the absence of solid partitions." - filename: unit-27-interior-01.jpg alt: "Interior Unit 27: holographic TV screen" caption: The screen wall with a double-sided holographic TV separates the living and sleeping areas whilst maintaining visual and spatial continuity. - filename: unit-27-plan.jpg alt: "Floor plan: Unit 27 – internal spaces and external balconies" caption: "The floor plan features an equal balance of enclosed and open spaces: a kitchen, a living-dining-sleeping area, a bedroom, a bathroom and spacious external balconies." - filename: unit-27-axonometric-01.jpg alt: Axonometric view of Unit 27 construction system caption: "An axonometric view illustrating the construction system of the unit: stratigraphy, load‑bearing structure and bioclimatic design of the building envelope." - filename: unit-27-section.jpg alt: Ground-floor block, Unit 27, distribution caption: A typical cross-section of a low-rise apartment block shows the vertical arrangement of the units and the integration of the terraces. - filename: unit-27-interior-02.jpg alt: "Interior of Unit 27: open-plan living area" caption: "The interior with its open-plan living area: the spatial layout optimises the balance between usable floor space and quality of living." - filename: unit-27-axonometric-02.jpg alt: Isometric view of the Unit 27 modular assembly caption: The isometric view of the development highlights the steel frame and the balance between residential units and open green spaces. faq_count: 7 related_slugs: - lanterns-sea-village - unboxed cta: title: Are you considering a sustainable residential project on a modular or neighbourhood scale? body: Unit 27 demonstrates that sustainability and quality of living can coexist even in compact spaces. If your project requires an integrated approach — prefabrication, bioclimatic design, smart densification — we can work together to find the most suitable solution. button: Let’s talk about your project microcopy: "[Let’s talk about your project]" gallery_renders: - filename: unit-27-exterior-01.jpg alt: Exterior rendering of Unit 27, seafront development caption: Exterior view of the Unit 27 modular complex in a coastal setting, featuring green terraces and shared spaces opening out onto the landscape. - filename: unit-27-exterior-02.jpg alt: Exterior rendering of Unit 27 terraces in the neighbourhood caption: The terraces are designed as shared spaces for the neighbourhood, which can be arranged with vegetation and furniture to encourage social interaction. - filename: unit-27-interior-01.jpg alt: "Interior Unit 27: holographic TV screen" caption: The screen wall with a double-sided holographic TV separates the living and sleeping areas whilst maintaining visual and spatial continuity. - filename: unit-27-interior-02.jpg alt: "Interior of Unit 27: open-plan living area" caption: "The interior with its open-plan living area: the spatial layout optimises the balance between usable floor space and quality of living." gallery_drawings: - filename: unit-27-axonometric-01.jpg alt: Axonometric view of Unit 27 construction system caption: "An axonometric view illustrating the construction system of the unit: stratigraphy, load‑bearing structure and bioclimatic design of the building envelope." - filename: unit-27-axonometric-02.jpg alt: Isometric view of the Unit 27 modular assembly caption: The isometric view of the development highlights the steel frame and the balance between residential units and open green spaces. - filename: unit-27-plan.jpg alt: "Floor plan: Unit 27 – internal spaces and external balconies" caption: "The floor plan features an equal balance of enclosed and open spaces: a kitchen, a living-dining-sleeping area, a bedroom, a bathroom and spacious external balconies." - filename: unit-27-section.jpg alt: Ground-floor block, Unit 27, distribution caption: A typical cross-section of a low-rise apartment block shows the vertical arrangement of the units and the integration of the terraces. - filename: unit-27-elevation.jpg alt: "Unit 27 Open-Plan Floor Plan: Natural Light and Landscape Views" caption: "The elevation reveals the sweeping openings in the landscape: the open-plan interior does not feel cramped thanks to the natural light and the absence of solid partitions." --- # Unit 27 — Prefabricated luxury micro-flats for the cities of the future _A 27-square-metre modular housing system that frees up outdoor space and re-establishes direct contact with the urban and natural landscape._ **2018 · Modular housing · Sustainable Design** --- ## Living in 27 square metres without compromising on quality: a modular unit for the cities of tomorrow Over the next hundred years, cities will become increasingly dense, leading to two converging problems: homes will become ever smaller and open space — both private and public — will shrink until it disappears. Unit 27 was created to provide a design solution to both issues, overturning the logic of compact living: not squeezing life into fewer square metres, but radically rethinking what is needed inside and what can remain outside, restoring space to the landscape and to human relationships. The housing unit measures 27 square metres and contains everything necessary for a full daily life: a kitchen with a dining table for six people, a multifunctional sofa-bed, a bedroom with an all-in-one unit featuring four large drawers under the bed and a pull-out side wardrobe concealed within the headboard, and a full bathroom with a separate toilet and double shower. The separation between the living and sleeping areas is provided by a screen wall that incorporates a double-sided holographic television, visible from both sides of the home. The space does not feel cramped thanks to two specific design choices: the open-plan layout without rigid partitions and the large windows that open up the view of the surrounding landscape. The single module is designed to be freely stacked vertically within a steel frame structure, featuring large balconies and terraces. The outdoor space — both private and communal — can be freely organised by residents with vegetation and furnishings, to facilitate social interaction and reconnect with nature and the urban landscape in temperate climates. Thanks to its small footprint, Unit 27 can be installed in residual spaces within urban areas; larger clusters create built ecosystems where compact, well-organised dwellings, pleasant outdoor spaces and vegetation strike a balance. The ideal users are young couples or singles who cannot afford larger, more expensive accommodation but do not wish to compromise on high-quality living space in an urban context. The prefabrication of the module allows for reduced construction times and rigorous quality control of components, whilst the system’s modularity enables the project to be scaled from a single unit to a garden block of flats. Unit 27 is not a compromise on the quality of space: it is a design gamble on the idea that living in fewer square metres can mean living better, if the design frees up space for the landscape and relationships. --- ## Image gallery ![Unit 27 exterior rendering: seaside cluster](images/unit-27/unit-27-exterior-01.jpg) *Exterior view of the Unit 27 module cluster in a coastal setting, with green terraces and shared spaces opening onto the landscape.* ![Unit 27 exterior rendering: neighbourhood terraces](images/unit-27/unit-27-exterior-02.jpg) *The terraces are designed as shared neighbourhood spaces, which can be arranged with vegetation and furnishings to encourage social interaction.* ![Elevation of Unit 27: open plan, light and landscape](images/unit-27/unit-27-elevation.jpg) *The elevation shows the wide openings onto the landscape: the internal open plan does not feel confined thanks to natural light and the absence of closed partitions.* ![Interior of Unit 27: holographic TV screen wall](images/unit-27/unit-27-interior-01.jpg) *The screen wall with a double-sided holographic TV separates the living and sleeping areas whilst maintaining visual and spatial continuity.* ![Floor plan of Unit 27: enclosed spaces and external loggias](images/unit-27/unit-27-plan.jpg) *The floor plan shows equal areas of enclosed and open spaces: kitchen, living-dining room, bedroom, bathroom and large external loggias.* ![Axonometric view of Unit 27: construction system](images/unit-27/unit-27-axonometric-01.jpg) *Axonometric view illustrating the unit’s construction system: stratigraphy, load‑bearing structure and bioclimatic design of the building envelope.* ![Cross-section of low-rise block Unit 27 layout](images/unit-27/unit-27-section.jpg) *A typical cross-section of a low-rise block showing the vertical layout of the modules and the integration of the terraces.* ![Interior of Unit 27 open-plan living area](images/unit-27/unit-27-interior-02.jpg) *The interior with the open-plan living area: the spatial organisation optimises the relationship between usable floor area and quality of living.* ![Modular cluster axonometric view of Unit 27](images/unit-27/unit-27-axonometric-02.jpg) *The axonometric view of the cluster highlights the steel frame and the balance between residential modules and open green spaces.* --- ## Technical specifications - **Year:** 2018 - **Client:** Design research - **Typology:** Modular residential — prefabricated micro-condos - **Area:** 27 m² per unit - **Status:** Concept - design research - **Designers:** Barberio Colella Architetti - **Publications:** Rethinking The Future — re-thinkingthefuture.com/landscape/6305-unit-27-by-barberio-colella-architetti - **BCA Vertical:** Sustainable Design --- ## How do you design a sustainable housing unit when space is limited and urban density is increasing? Urban growth demands ever-increasing density, but the current response — mini-flats assembled without any environmental strategy — results in housing with energy consumption disproportionate to its floor area, no effective natural ventilation and zero connection to the outside world. The problem is not merely aesthetic: it is climatic and social. Unit 27 demonstrates that modular prefabrication and bioclimatic design can coexist even within 27 square metres. The open-plan layout with large windows maximises passive ventilation and natural light, the green terraces act as a thermal buffer and a space for socialising, and the steel frame allows for the disassembly and reuse of components. Here, sustainability is not just a label: it is the principle that shapes the design. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How does natural ventilation work in a 27-square-metre module? The open-plan layout, free of rigid partitions, allows cross-ventilation between the large windows on opposite sides of the unit. The module’s design and the ratio of glazed area to internal volume are calibrated to maximise natural air exchange without the need for mechanical ventilation in the shoulder seasons. The external terraces act as climatic transition zones, reducing direct exposure to the sun during the hottest hours and promoting passive cooling. ### What are the environmental benefits of modular prefabrication? Factory prefabrication reduces on-site waste by 50–70% compared to traditional construction, limits the transport of materials to the site, and allows for rigorous control over the quality of assembly — which results in a more airtight and high-performance building envelope. The steel frame is designed for disassembly: at the end of its life, the modules can be removed, refurbished or recycled without destructive demolition. It is a circular approach to residential construction. ### How does Unit 27 reduce land consumption? Each unit occupies a 27 m² footprint, but vertical stacking on a steel frame allows for significant housing density without saturating the site. The space saved is reclaimed for green terraces, communal gardens and vegetation — permeable surfaces that contribute to rainwater management and the reduction of the urban heat island effect. The project demonstrates that densification does not mean overbuilding, provided the relationship between built-up and green areas is designed as a system. ### Do green terraces serve a bioclimatic function or are they merely aesthetic? Vegetated terraces have a measurable bioclimatic function: they reduce the surface temperature of structures exposed to the sun (by up to 20°C compared to a bare surface), act as additional thermal insulation, and contribute to the evaporative cooling of the surrounding air. In a cluster of Unit 27 modules, the green terraces distributed across the various levels create a cooler, more humid microclimate that reduces the need for mechanical cooling in the dwellings. ### Can Unit 27 function as sustainable social housing? Yes, the modularity and prefabrication make Unit 27 scalable for social housing projects: costs are predictable, construction times are reduced, and build quality is guaranteed by the industrial process. The flexible modularity allows the project to be adapted to plots of different sizes, whilst the communal terraces and shared green spaces create the conditions for a sense of community that traditional public housing rarely fosters. ### Is a 27 m² micro-home compatible with Italian regulations? Yes, and Unit 27 fits perfectly within the framework established by the Salva Casa 2024 Decree (Decree Law 69/2024). The legislation has reduced the minimum habitable area for a studio flat from 28 to 20 m² (for one person) and from 38 to 28 m² (for two people), and the minimum ceiling height has been lowered from 2.70 m to 2.40 m. Unit 27’s 27 m² comfortably meets the new parameters for single-person occupancy, and with minimal design adjustments — made possible by the system’s modularity — it can accommodate two people. The decree is designed precisely for projects such as Unit 27: to respond to the contemporary housing crisis with compact, sustainable and affordable typologies. For the Italian client or investor, Unit 27 is a design proposal already aligned with the most up-to-date regulations, requiring no planning amendments or special authorisations. ### What is the difference between a generic prefabricated module and a project like Unit 27? Generic prefabricated modules replicate the logic of a shipping container: a closed, standardised volume, with no relation to the climatic context or the external space. Unit 27 is designed by architects with expertise in bioclimatic design: the orientation of the windows, the ratio of glazed area to thermal mass, the position of the terraces and the permeability of the frame are design choices that influence indoor comfort and energy consumption. The difference lies between an industrial product and a prefabricated architectural project. --- ## Are you considering a sustainable residential project on a modular or neighbourhood scale? Unit 27 demonstrates that sustainability and quality of living can coexist even in compact spaces. If your project requires an integrated approach — prefabrication, bioclimatic design, smart densification — we can work together to find the most suitable solution. **[Let’s discuss your project]** _[Let’s discuss your project]_ --- ## Related projects - **Temporary Housing for Surfers in Tarifa** — Sustainable prefabricated housing modules - **Unboxed** — Prefabricated timber building for the Mediterranean _Discover our approach to Sustainable Design →_