youCUBE is a minimalist house located in Winnipeg, Canada, designed by 5468796 Architecture. youCUBE is an 18 unit housing development that explores the potential for density and affordability on a narrow, 63’ x 264’ urban lot. Located on the north end of Waterfront Drive, the project occupies a seemingly unremarkable site with limited visibility of the nearby river and neglected, industrial surroundings. With a modest budget and a background in custom home building, the developer needed a design that could be built using standard construction methods by residential contractors. In response, the project challenges conventional multi-family housing design with a modular and more affordable configuration of individual dwellings that goes beyond the brief to include extensive outdoor space and inspired architectural interiors.

Photography by James Brittain