Propuesta de diseño de vivienda fundamentada en los principios y cánones de diseño del juego tetris

Abstract

This study addresses the problem of spatial rigidity and premature obsolescence in contemporary single-family housing. When conceived as a static product, such housing fails to respond to the evolving dynamics of the family unit. In recent decades, family structures have undergone significant changes. According to demographic analyses conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses [(INEC, by its Spanish acronym) 2023], a considerable segment of the population is showing an increasing prevalence of extended family cohabitation, which highlights the limitations of the conventional housing market. As households grow or require spaces with functions within the home, the demand for more spacious and adaptable living spaces increases. In this context, traditional apartments and rigid housing models prove insufficient to meet these needs. The main objective of this research was to develop a housing design proposal based on the combinatorial and algorithmic logic of the video game Tetris, validating its application as an operational architectural methodology. The theoretical and methodological framework integrates N. J. Habraken’s Supports Theory, establishing a technical separation between the fixed structural system and the habitable modules. It also incorporates concepts of organic growth derived from Japanese Metabolism, as proposed by Kisho Kurokawa. The resulting architectural proposal is structured through the intersection of pure volumes derived from tetrominoes, organized within a strict three-dimensional grid that, according to Rosalind Krauss, provides coherence to the system. The findings indicate that the gamification of design transforms housing into a dynamic and reconfigurable system. Within this framework, modular standardization does not limit spatial quality; rather, it enhances flexibility, construction efficiency, and long-term sustainability.