Medium Density - Adaptable Amenity: A flexible housing system to facilitate change and maximise production efficiencies

<p>Medium-density Group Housing (“MDH”) has been defined as “a number of horizontally attached (or directly related) dwellings which are normally of one or two stories and rarely exceed three stories above the ground” (Judd 8). In the context of the New Zealand built environment, this housing typology is widely perceived as being a ‘cheaper’ form of construction, providing a lower standard housing environment. This perception has arisen for a number of reasons. Specifically, MDH is often regarded as lacking appropriate ‘fit’ with the existing urban character and is seen as giving rise to a number of problems associated with close visual and acoustic living proximities, inadequate privacy and daylight, insufficient outdoor private and public spaces and lack of design flexibility. These issues have resulted in MDH being viewed as an urban housing typology that, while accepted as being necessary to meet space and budget constraints, is very much ‘second best’, problematic and not as being particularly desirable. With shortages of suitable land and existing housing, intensification is a growing issue for policy planners and developers, and a growing focus of residential development. This research investigation looks at how design and construction of MDH could be enhanced through use of prefabrication in order to provide an inspirational and affordable housing alternative that promotes efficient land use, positive health outcomes and social wellbeing and which can generally enhance the lifestyles of occupants. In this context MDH may offer a possible part solution to what is viewed by many as a current crisis in New Zealand housing. Modular and panelised technologies offer possible solutions to the challenge of providing housing that is efficiently produced, provides flexibility and adaptability in terms of spatial configurations and functionality, offering high levels of customisation and personalisation. These solutions are explored in this thesis through research of theory, literature and precedent studies which inform a design framework. This framework is developed under the following subject areas, namely; • density and amenity; • environmental fit; • flexibility and adaptability and • production efficiencies and are used as a basis for design and project evaluation.</p>

Medium Density - Adaptable Amenity: A flexible housing system to facilitate change and maximise production efficiencies

<p>Medium-density Group Housing (“MDH”) has been defined as “a number of horizontally attached (or directly related) dwellings which are normally of one or two stories and rarely exceed three stories above the ground” (Judd 8). In the context of the New Zealand built environment, this housing typology is widely perceived as being a ‘cheaper’ form of construction, providing a lower standard housing environment. This perception has arisen for a number of reasons. Specifically, MDH is often regarded as lacking appropriate ‘fit’ with the existing urban character and is seen as giving rise to a number of problems associated with close visual and acoustic living proximities, inadequate privacy and daylight, insufficient outdoor private and public spaces and lack of design flexibility. These issues have resulted in MDH being viewed as an urban housing typology that, while accepted as being necessary to meet space and budget constraints, is very much ‘second best’, problematic and not as being particularly desirable. With shortages of suitable land and existing housing, intensification is a growing issue for policy planners and developers, and a growing focus of residential development. This research investigation looks at how design and construction of MDH could be enhanced through use of prefabrication in order to provide an inspirational and affordable housing alternative that promotes efficient land use, positive health outcomes and social wellbeing and which can generally enhance the lifestyles of occupants. In this context MDH may offer a possible part solution to what is viewed by many as a current crisis in New Zealand housing. Modular and panelised technologies offer possible solutions to the challenge of providing housing that is efficiently produced, provides flexibility and adaptability in terms of spatial configurations and functionality, offering high levels of customisation and personalisation. These solutions are explored in this thesis through research of theory, literature and precedent studies which inform a design framework. This framework is developed under the following subject areas, namely; • density and amenity; • environmental fit; • flexibility and adaptability and • production efficiencies and are used as a basis for design and project evaluation.</p>

Rented apartments an alternative shelter: characteristics and quality across the residential densities in the ancient town of Ile-Ife

PurposeThe study had examined the dynamism in rental housing characteristic in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through questionnaire administration on 550 tenants selected across high, medium and low density areas, using systematic random sampling.FindingsFindings revealed that rented apartments in the traditional town are built with modern materials like sandcrete blocks, cement, corrugated roofing sheet and aluminium. Further findings revealed a statistical significant variation in the rental housing typologies across the residential densities (χ2 = 94.732a, df = 10 and p = 0.000). The dominant housing typology in the low income earners areas is rooming apartments known traditionally as (face-to-face), in the middle income earners areas detached and semi-detached bungalows (Mini, 2bedroms and 3 bedrooms flat); and lastly, bungalows and duplexes dominates the high income earners areas. Therefore, the study likened the variation across the income areas to deferential in socioeconomic characteristics of tenants, surroundings peculiarities and the landlord and tenant relationships.Originality/valueThe outcome of this study could strengthen policies in creating design standards for construction of housing for renters; this is step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, creating an inclusive communities.

Enriching the Envelope Experience

<p><b>Enriching the Envelope Experience is a design strategy for an external retrofit to revitalise existing housing. The aim is to create warmer, drier, healthier homes without having to displace the occupants.</b></p> <p>For many New Zealander’s, inefficient housing is negatively affecting occupant health and wellbeing.</p> <p>Preventable health issues place pressure on healthcare systems, costing valuable resources. The climate, housing, and healthcare crisis desperately require improvements to existing housing for warmer, healthier, and happier homes. Currently, the design of New Zealand housing is inefficient for climate resulting in uncomfortable living conditions. There is a global dependence on finite resources, and the ongoing resource use will reach capacity. Desperate attention to the environmental and economic impact is needed to sustain the precious resources. NewZealand is obligated to reach the 2050 climate goals.</p> <p>The design of buildings needs attention to mitigate the 39% carbon emissions by the construction industry and achieve net-zero carbon housing goals.</p> <p>Lengthy rebuilds require displacing people from their homes and communities and increase the demand for housing and resources. The demolition and rebuild further adds to the significant waste issue.</p> <p>Therefore, there is an opportunity to improve the existing housing stock as a readily available resource.</p> <p>The 1940s-1960s State House is a standardized housing typology mass-produced in New Zealand, and often of poor condition, it was an appropriate site to investigate for a retrofit design strategy.</p> <p>A design framework informed by sustainable design standards, case studies and understanding of the 1940s-1960s house typology directed the design process. The research outcome resulted in an external wall design strategy to improve the occupants’ home experience.</p>

Enriching the Envelope Experience

<p><b>Enriching the Envelope Experience is a design strategy for an external retrofit to revitalise existing housing. The aim is to create warmer, drier, healthier homes without having to displace the occupants.</b></p> <p>For many New Zealander’s, inefficient housing is negatively affecting occupant health and wellbeing.</p> <p>Preventable health issues place pressure on healthcare systems, costing valuable resources. The climate, housing, and healthcare crisis desperately require improvements to existing housing for warmer, healthier, and happier homes. Currently, the design of New Zealand housing is inefficient for climate resulting in uncomfortable living conditions. There is a global dependence on finite resources, and the ongoing resource use will reach capacity. Desperate attention to the environmental and economic impact is needed to sustain the precious resources. NewZealand is obligated to reach the 2050 climate goals.</p> <p>The design of buildings needs attention to mitigate the 39% carbon emissions by the construction industry and achieve net-zero carbon housing goals.</p> <p>Lengthy rebuilds require displacing people from their homes and communities and increase the demand for housing and resources. The demolition and rebuild further adds to the significant waste issue.</p> <p>Therefore, there is an opportunity to improve the existing housing stock as a readily available resource.</p> <p>The 1940s-1960s State House is a standardized housing typology mass-produced in New Zealand, and often of poor condition, it was an appropriate site to investigate for a retrofit design strategy.</p> <p>A design framework informed by sustainable design standards, case studies and understanding of the 1940s-1960s house typology directed the design process. The research outcome resulted in an external wall design strategy to improve the occupants’ home experience.</p>

Microdistrict Solnechnyi: An urban design manifesto of the Siberian city

The article touches upon the questions of the evolution and potential for the development of urban fabric in the case study of the Solnechnyi microdistrict in Irkutsk. The methods for structural analysis of the potential for the neighborhood development are applied on the scale of the microdistrict and housing typology. It serves as a basis for modeling and adaptation of the existing housing to a change in the internal and external conditions of development. The proposed adaptation methods for the development allow to enhance our insight into the spatial potential of the structure and identity of the microdistrict, as well as into improving the comfort of housing and revitalizing the living space. When elaborating design and regulatory strategies for the development of large scale housing estates, it is advisable to use the tools of spatial and planning adaptation in the existing morphotypes.

Secondary suites: a methodological approach to estimate their prevalance within the city of Toronto

With the introduction of Bill 140 - Strong Communities Through Affordable Housing Act, one increasingly popular housing typology is secondary suites. However, their role within local housing markets has never been fully substantiated, numerically or functionally, Over the past decade, government agencies have employed a variety of techniques to estimate the number of secondary suites within local housing markets. However, due to a number of inherent limitations associated with available data sources and collection techniques, accurately estimated their prevalence is difficult because many secondary suites are not reported. As such, most data sources do not provide a complete estimate. In an effort to overcome these limitations, the following research paper has employed a methodological approach that combined MPAC data with visual surveys. The results of this approach will help provide a more accurate picture of the entire secondary suite rental market, identifying both reported and unreported units within Toronto.

Secondary suites: a methodological approach to estimate their prevalance within the city of Toronto

With the introduction of Bill 140 - Strong Communities Through Affordable Housing Act, one increasingly popular housing typology is secondary suites. However, their role within local housing markets has never been fully substantiated, numerically or functionally, Over the past decade, government agencies have employed a variety of techniques to estimate the number of secondary suites within local housing markets. However, due to a number of inherent limitations associated with available data sources and collection techniques, accurately estimated their prevalence is difficult because many secondary suites are not reported. As such, most data sources do not provide a complete estimate. In an effort to overcome these limitations, the following research paper has employed a methodological approach that combined MPAC data with visual surveys. The results of this approach will help provide a more accurate picture of the entire secondary suite rental market, identifying both reported and unreported units within Toronto.

Transformation as a type: seeking a flexible housing type for the 21st century

Rapid social and technological change have largely influenced the way in which individuals and families inhabit their dwellings, leading to new functional and formal lifestyle demands within the domestic realm. “The current information society is more closely linked to time than space. Its networks produce systems that are discontinuous in space but continuous in time…the most consistent systems are those capable of distributing their activities homogeneously in time, thus avoiding the generation of another parallel space…specifically for one concrete use.” (Guallart, 2004, p.25) In a time where change and transformation are omnipresent and highly influential, how can we design habitats that respond directly to the changing social order, by transforming into the appropriate space which supports the changing occupants, activities, and functions of a home? This thesis proposes a flexible housing typology, which has the ability to transform and adapt to socio-cultural and technological changes over time.