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The Occupants’ and Tenants’ Movement (MOI) has been awarded a Silver World Habitat Award, in partnership with UN Habitat, for La Fábrica, a housing cooperative in Argentina. Once a textile factory, the building combines modern architecture with sympathetic renovation and shared social spaces. Located in the vibrant Barracas district of Buenos Aires, La Fábrica holds 50 spacious, affordable homes for those on the lowest incomes.
The architecture in La Fábrica itself is a celebration of light and openness. Duplex units, arranged around a central courtyard, feature double-height living spaces and private patios, creating a sense of both individuality and connection. Shared amenities, including a multipurpose room and children’s play area, encourage resident interaction.
Many of the building’s original features, including the façade, were kept and local renewable materials were used wherever possible, reducing its embodied carbon.
The project tackles Argentina’s housing crisis head-on with a design-led, community-driven approach. With MOI’s support, residents take ownership of the project from the first step by learning about and forming a cooperative, through to design and construction and ongoing management. MOI’s construction arm helps with the building works, and its professional arm works on the legal and technical aspects of the project.
Women play a central role in this participatory model, benefitting from comprehensive training programs and leadership roles in their community. This approach has far reaching and lasting impacts on the lives of families living in La Fábrica.
This award marks another milestone for MOI, who have a long history of developing innovative housing solutions in Argentina. The project builds on their previous successes, which include pushing for legal changes that have enabled community-led housing like La Fábrica to create lasting social and environmental change.
David Ireland, CEO of World Habitat, said: “Without La Fábrica, many vulnerable families in Buenos Aires would be struggling on the verge of homeless. MOI has provided an effective model for community-led housing, participatory design, and social inclusion and has paved the way for more equitable and sustainable housing in Argentina.”
Nestor Jeifetz, MOI Spokesperson said: ““For us, winning a world habitat award is a deeply significant and multifaceted honour. It is a recognition of the collective efforts of many people. But above all, it is an extraordinary tool, for building the future, growing awareness, fostering hope and opening the door for new alliances.”
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