Candid-Works has created a pair of micro dwellings in West Texas to help alleviate a shortage of affordable housing and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable community.

The project is located in Marfa, a well-known desert city and tiny art mecca in West Texas that has continued to develop as a destination for art-enthused travellers. The inflow of visitors has birthed a lucrative short-term rental market, leading to a shortage of affordable housing in the community.

The Goat Heads is named after the spiny seeds of the Tribulus terrestris plant – a stubborn weed that pervades the project site – are a pair of affordable units designed for long-term rental.

Situated on an infill lot, the modest dwellings are fully equipped with kitchens, baths, comfortable living and sleeping spaces, and ample built-in storage. The simple volumes evoke a modernist ideal of shelter, while a front porch and small courtyard animate the exterior of each unit. Humble, off-the-shelf materials are creatively employed to provide warmth and richness, but also durability against the harsh desert environment.

This project has been longlisted in the housing project category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Architect: Candid-Works

Project: The Goat Heads