What if the constraints of container housing no longer applied? The 2D/3D construction system combines the logistical efficiency of prefabricated 3D units with the spatial freedom of 2D timber-frame building elements — resulting in a modular housing system that adapts to residents’ needs rather than the other way around.
The concept originated from a brief for four transitional dwellings for social housing company Woontrots in the Acaciawijk in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe. These homes needed to be fully finished, produced off-site, and easy to assemble, disassemble and relocate. The possibilities turned out to be far broader.
At the heart of the system is a compact 3D unit housing all sanitary and technical installations: kitchen, bathroom, toilet, storage and building services. This unit carries the highest development cost and is therefore designed to be compatible with multiple housing types — from studios to three-bedroom apartments accommodating up to five residents. Its limited dimensions and weight make it easier to relocate than a conventional container dwelling.
Around this fixed core, 2D timber-frame building elements define the living spaces. Produced entirely off-site and fitted with demountable connectors and integrated technical services, these elements allow each floor plan to be tailored freely to the needs of the resident and the site. Spaces are no longer constrained by transport dimensions.
Four housing types were developed on the basis of this system — types 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 and 3/5, ranging from 61 to 95 m² — all compliant with the Wonen in Vlaanderen design guideline and all sharing the same 3D unit. The types feature a dual-aspect layout with views to both front and rear, and require no windows in the side façades. This makes them connectable in compact terraced configurations and stackable in apartment buildings of two or more storeys.
The system can be deployed in three ways: as a fully finished individual construction kit, as an optimised kit for stacked configurations (where shared elements are rationalised), or as a kit with traditional on-site finishes such as brickwork or floor screed — suitable for more permanent applications requiring contextual integration.
Built entirely from FSC-labelled, solid bio-based timber, the construction system achieves 80% less CO₂ emissions compared to traditional building methods. The demountable structure is fully circular: all 2D elements and the 3D unit can be disassembled, relocated and reassembled in a different configuration, in the short or long term.
The concept study was developed in close collaboration with timber-frame contractor Machiels Building Solutions, validating the technical and practical feasibility of the system in substantial detail.
