Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane by Yanci Chen

Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane by Yanci Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award in Ezenhlalakahle Competition Category.

InsimbiEzenhlalakahle· 2025

Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane

by Yanci Chen

Client: Ycj Studio

Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award Winner in Ezenhlalakahle Category

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The Design

About Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane

Grow Together yiphrojekthi yezindlu ezincane ezakhiwa ngamalungu ahlukene, ebhekana nenkinga yokungabi nakhaya eSeattle. Idizayini ibeka amashelter amancane angaxhumene nogesi wesizinda ezindaweni zangemuva zezindlu zabahlali, inikeza indawo yokuhlala yesikhashana eseduze nezindawo ezisezingqondweni ezakhelene. Iyunithi ngayinye ilinganiselwa ku-3,000 ngo-6,000 amamilimitha futhi yakhiwe ngezigxobo eziqinile ezihlanganisiwe (cross-laminated timber) kanye nensimbi ephindwe yasetshenziswa kabusha, ukuze kwakhiwe ngokushesha. Amaphaneli elanga, ukuhlungwa kwamanzi emvula kanye nezindlu zangasese ezakha umquba, kusekela ukuzimela. Izindlu zokukhulisa izitshalo ezabelwana ngazo kanye nezindawo zomphakathi ezishintshashintshayo, zisingatha izinhlelo zokulima nokwakha amakhono. Uhlaka lwakhiwo luvikela ubumfihlo ngenkathi lukhuthaza ukubuyiselwa emphakathini.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award

Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane iwinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile okunikezwa imiklamo emihle ehlangabezana nezidingo zobungcweti nezemboni ezilindelekile ezimpahleni ezihlelwe kahle. Abawinile beNsimbi babonisa ikhono elikhulu, ubungcweti obuphezulu, ukuqonda kochwepheshe namandla okudala abadali babo. Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo nenezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu zemboni futhi unezimfanelo zobuchwepheshe ezifanelekile ezihlanganiswe nolwazi nethalente. Grow Together Izindlu Ezincane iyahlonishwa ngenxa yokucophelela kwayo futhi ihlelelwe ukulethela izinguquko zomgangatho wempilo ezisiza ukwenza umhlaba ube yindawo engcono.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Grow Together is an intergenerational community hub that integrates adaptive architecture, urban farming, and sustainable living. The design fosters cross-generational exchange through modular housing, shared greenhouses, and flexible communal spaces. Utilizing biophilic principles, passive cooling, and circular material strategies, it enhances resilience and well-being. Its unique strength lies in fostering social cohesion while promoting ecological responsibility and self-sufficiency.
Dimensions & Packaging: Grow Together features modular micro-housing units measuring 3,000mm (W) x 6,000mm (D) x 3,200mm (H), designed for easy deployment in residential backyards. Each unit incorporates off-grid solar panels, a rainwater filtration system, and composting toilets for self-sufficiency. The lightweight CLT and recycled steel structure allows for rapid assembly. Shared community hubs range from 20m² to 50m², integrating urban farming zones and flexible gathering spaces for reintegration programs.
Tags: micro-housing, intergenerational living, homelessness solution, modular architecture, urban farming, off-grid shelter, sustainable design, community reintegration, adaptive reuse, social impact
Production Technology: Grow Together utilizes prefabricated modular construction, integrating cross-laminated timber (CLT), recycled steel frames, and bio-based insulation for sustainability and efficiency. The design employs passive solar strategies, rainwater harvesting, and off-grid energy solutions to ensure self-sufficiency. Digital parametric modeling and AI-assisted spatial optimization guided the form and layout, maximizing adaptability, privacy, and seamless integration within existing urban fabric.
Design Challenge: The greatest challenge in Grow Together was balancing privacy and social reintegration while ensuring scalability and feasibility. Socially, resistance to backyard shelters required design solutions that reassured homeowners and preserved neighborhood aesthetics. Legally, zoning restrictions and permitting posed barriers. Technologically, optimizing off-grid utilities in a compact form was complex. Overcoming these required community engagement, modular innovation, and adaptive policy integration.
Research: Grow Together is based on social impact and architectural research addressing homelessness in Seattle. The objective was to explore backyard micro-housing as a transitional solution for reintegration. Using case studies, interviews, and spatial analysis, data was collected from homeowners, social workers, and unhoused individuals. Findings highlight the need for privacy, community engagement, and self-sufficiency. The project fosters scalable, community-driven solutions, influencing urban policy and inclusive design.
Inspiration: Grow Together is inspired by the urgent social challenge of homelessness in Seattle and the growing willingness of residents to share their backyards for micro/off-grid shelters. The project reimagines communal reintegration through modular, self-sustaining dwellings that offer transitional housing for individuals seeking to reconnect with society. By integrating adaptive architecture and urban farming, it fosters dignity, autonomy, and social inclusion.
Project Duration: March 2024 Seattle
Operation Flow: Grow Together operates as a flexible micro-housing solution that reintegrates individuals experiencing homelessness into the community. Homeowners can install modular units in their backyards, providing temporary, self-sustaining shelters. Residents engage in shared gardening, skill-building, and social programs in communal spaces. The adaptable design ensures privacy while fostering interaction, creating a supportive transition toward permanent housing and social reintegration.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Yanci Chen
Team Members: Yanci Chen
Image Credits: Yanci Chen