At Batimat Expovivienda 2009, Argentina’s main construction and housing annual exposition, the companies Consul Steel and Clarín exhibited examples of steel framing construction using Ternium’s steel.

In the trade fair La Rural in Buenos Aires the Batimat Expovivienda annual exposition, held from June 2 – 6, was organized by the Association of Housing Companies, the construction chamber in Argentina, and Construction Expositions and Fairs, Argentina S.A.

The exposition, with demonstrations of steel framing construction, brings more than 100,000 visitors each year.

The lightweight construction system has structure profiles of galvanized cold-rolled steel, which is produced in Ternium Siderar steel plants.

Consul Steel opted to demystify myths regarding steel framing in the typical gabled roof house and into “industrialized” construction.

To do this, they built on its exhibit booth a 1,075 ft2 two-story house demonstrating that this system allows for modern and innovative buildings.

In this regard, Sonia Ganem, Manager of Consul Steel, mentioned that the objective was met, because “by constructing a two-story living room, with a projecting loft, the myth that steel framing does not allow for this type of construction was broken.”

Later, she pointed out that this type of demonstration confirms “the system’s potential for development.”

The Clarín booth, for its part, exhibited the winning project of the Social Housing competition held by the Architecture Supplement.

The prototype, which belongs to the Mar del Plata Paar study, associated with architect Alberto Joaquín Cantó and Cabrera, was built in only 10 days with the collaboration of the UOCRA Foundation.

Sponsored by the Drywall Construction Institute (INCOSE), the National Housing Council and co-organized by the Central Society of Architects, the competition’s objective was exploring fast, functional, and spatial technological solutions that will help solve the country’s housing shortage.

Oscar Álvarez, Secretary of INCOSE, pointed out that the construction of this prototype permitted “to demonstrate the flexibility of steel framing in design and show that this system is suitable for the construction of social housing.”

Furthermore, “the materialization is a form of construction that can be learned by any suitable person in a short time,” he concluded.