Six prefabricated modules form Portugal mini village

“This is a story of a modular building system, made of concrete units: Gomos. Each one is fully built in factory. Its design allows an easy transportation and a truly fast assembly. Flexible and evolutionary, it makes construction simple for everyone.” With this brief description the Portuguese studio Summary describes the Gomos constructive method, presented for the first time at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016.

After the initial stages of testing a first prototype, the Porto-based architects continue to investigate the possibilities offered by the prefabricated modules with the VDC mixed-use building, completed in Vale de Cambra. The construction is divided into two levels. The ground floor is a large flexible environment, where partitions are reduced to a minimum. It houses commercial functions overlooking the street with a large glass wall.

Six residential units built, consisting of prefabricated modules already equipped with systems and insulation, rest on the wide concrete base. These only need to be assembled on site using a simple interlocking system. The blocks are arranged untidily to highlight the independence of each structure and the freedom that this system offers. 

The 45 square meters of the interiors are characterised by the combination of the raw concrete of the walls and roofs with the coloured panels of furniture and partitioning. The solution proposed by the Summary studio responds perfectly to the requests of the client, who needed a fast project, with reduced resources and modifiable over time. The strategy implemented also makes it possible to reduce the workforce and the environmental impact of the construction.