Nano Nest: Adaptive Refugee Housing in Historic Urban Spaces

The Nano Nest project, an Honorable Mention entry by James Ingram in the Nano Nest 2020 competition hosted by UNI, addresses one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary architecture — how to design inclusive, compact, and culturally sensitive housing for refugees within Europe’s historic urban landscapes. This concept blends adaptive architecture with social integration, reimagining the dense fabric of Rome as a site for innovative, small-scale residential solutions.

Context & Urban Challenge

Rome, like many European capitals, faces spatial constraints in its historic core. Narrow streets and limited plots often restrict engagement between residents and the public realm. With climate change predicted to increase refugee migration, cities will need to adapt their housing strategies to accommodate multi-generational families while fostering connections with local communities.

The Nano Nest responds to this by utilizing a 4x12x12 meter plot to create a vertical, multi-story residence that promotes interaction at the street level while maintaining privacy for residents. The design is intended to be replicable across Italian cities, setting a new precedent for compact urban housing.

Architectural Concept

The design draws heavily from the architectural typology of Rome, incorporating classical arches and column-inspired structural elements. These not only pay homage to the city’s heritage but also serve functional purposes, such as framing large windows for natural light and ventilation.

The internal organization follows a lifestyle-based spatial strategy, prioritizing social and communal areas over private sleeping quarters. The house includes:

• Ground floor: Grandparents’ bedroom for easy street access.
• Split-level children’s room: Playful and space-efficient, with visual links to the grandparents’ area.
• Upper floors: Kitchen, lounge, and roof terrace inspired by North African and Sicilian social spaces, encouraging interaction between residents and neighbors.

Social Integration through Design

One of the project’s key goals is to blend public and private realms, enabling refugees to integrate into the local population. The street-facing social space acts as a transitional zone where residents can engage with passersby, fostering familiarity and trust. This approach draws inspiration from traditional Sicilian houses, where semi-public terraces and balconies encourage community interaction.

By uniting cooking, dining, and leisure functions into flowing, interconnected spaces, the design strengthens family bonds while allowing individual members to pursue different activities.

Sustainability and Affordability

The Nano Nest employs fly ash concrete, a by-product of the coal industry, which reduces environmental impact and cost. Prefabricated construction elements further minimize expense and time, making the model financially viable for large-scale adoption.

This sustainable construction method also delivers aesthetic benefits, offering a lighter, ceramic-like surface finish that enhances the building’s contemporary yet contextually sensitive appearance.

Light, Ventilation, and Comfort

A central staircase doubles as a ventilation shaft, channeling airflow throughout the building. Large facade openings and strategically placed vents ensure ample daylight and natural cooling, essential for Rome’s hot summers. Shaded terraces and recessed balconies provide additional comfort while creating inviting spaces for social interaction.

Future Impact

The Nano Nest stands as a prototype for refugee housing in historic cities, demonstrating how architecture can bridge cultural divides while addressing space scarcity. By merging heritage aesthetics with adaptive, socially driven design, this model offers a pathway for cities to absorb population growth without sacrificing livability or historical integrity.

If widely implemented, it could transform underused urban plots into vibrant, multi-generational homes that support both community cohesion and sustainable urban development.

Project Credits Project by James Ingram

Honorable Mention — Nano Nest 2020, UNI