A hierarchical definitional framework for a heterogeneous context: housing typologies in Tirana, Albania

PurposeThe proposed definitional framework can be used to define housing typologies of cities in developing countries. It aims to define housing typologies in the capital city of Albania, Tirana, using the proposed hierarchical framework within the dynamics of four political periods: Ottoman, establishment, socialist and postsocialist.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes a new definitional approach for the housing typologies through a hierarchical framework that defines the typologies based on their political period and legality statuses departing from the case of Tirana, which is featured by a heterogeneous context. Such context is characterized by uncontrollable urban development, making typology definition problematic. Furthermore, beyond the form, spatial and functional features, it presents their exterior distinctiveness as an innovative element. The methodology used in the study includes archival research, image documentation, spatial, functional and exterior distinctiveness analysis of housing typologies and exploration of housing form features in different political periods.FindingsThe study identifies urban formal housing typologies in Tirana detached houses, apartments, mass housing, social housing, gated communities, informal detached houses and housing with in/formal additions.Originality/valueThis definitional approach can be used to define housing typologies for cities featured by heterogeneous urban context.

Identification of the Architectural Housing Form and the Existence of Ulos Communities in Hutaraja Village, Samosir, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Tourism has played a major role in boosting the economy of every country in the world. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has obviously taken its toll since it hit Indonesia over a year ago. This condition has urged the Indonesian government to diligently make optimal changes, especially in improving regions that have been neglected this whole time, with the purpose of establishing a tourist destination that will prove interesting to tourists. Parahyangan Catholic University plays a role in providing information in the form of scientific studies regarding architecture of the traditional Batak Toba habitation in the Samosir regency of North Sumatera province. The Hutaraja village has been selected as the object of research with the foundation being the existence of ulos fabric artisan communities as an appealing feature. This ulos fabric plays an important role in the cultural lives of the Toba Bataknese, and may have potential in value and aesthetic uniqueness. The purpose of this study is to identify the relation between the architectural housing form and the existence of the ulos fabric artisan communities. The study has been conducted through a qualitative approach with exploratory and explanatory methods. Its findings show that the Hutaraja village’s housing form is strongly related to both cultural and environmental aspects. On the other hand, the existence of ulos fabric artisan communities has been discovered to change the attributes of interior and exterior housing forms.

This is (not) a laneway. Envisioning Toronto's future mid-block communities

The City of Toronto's laneway network is an untapped resource whose potential for residential development can support unique architectural opportunities and promote much needed sustainable and livable urban communities. Residential laneway development, as a form of infill, has the potential to increase the City's density without threatening the existing City fabric while providing a highly demanded housing typology. This thesis is structured around three intentions. It attempts to prove that laneway housing development is an opportunity for alleviating Toronto's housing requirements; imagines what this housing typology would look like in the context of Toronto's urban form; and explores the evolution of the laneway housing form in the entire laneway context. Arguing that when designed from this perspective, the laneway housing form has the potential to foster the growth of strong and desirable mid-block communities.

This is (not) a laneway. Envisioning Toronto's future mid-block communities

The City of Toronto's laneway network is an untapped resource whose potential for residential development can support unique architectural opportunities and promote much needed sustainable and livable urban communities. Residential laneway development, as a form of infill, has the potential to increase the City's density without threatening the existing City fabric while providing a highly demanded housing typology. This thesis is structured around three intentions. It attempts to prove that laneway housing development is an opportunity for alleviating Toronto's housing requirements; imagines what this housing typology would look like in the context of Toronto's urban form; and explores the evolution of the laneway housing form in the entire laneway context. Arguing that when designed from this perspective, the laneway housing form has the potential to foster the growth of strong and desirable mid-block communities.

Designing post-disaster temporary housing inspired by the housing of indigenous nomads of Iran

The significance of post-disaster temporary housing for the victims has led to the problem of designing a good model of temporary housing. According to research hypothesis, using the design of Iranian nomads’ housing instead of common forms of temporary housing contributes to energy saving. Investigating the architecture of nomads’ housing indicates that there is a type of indigenous knowledge for designing and constructing this type of housing. After the study, data collection and a review of the types of Iranian nomads’ housing using library and causal method, thermal simulation was conducted to investigate the effect of changing the temporary housing form inspired by the nomads’ housing on energy consumption. Findings showed that using shapes like Kapars of Baluchistan nomads, wigwams of Shahsavan tribe in Ardabil and mudhifs of Khuzestan will save energy for 36%, 24% and 25%, respectively.

Housing Stigmatization: A General Theory

This article treats housing stigmatization as a social process of symbolic ascription, connected to inhabitants, housing form, housing tenure, and/or housing location. Stigmatization research tends to focus on personal stigmatization, or to examine housing only in relation to territorial stigmatization, while housing research tends to focus on health and policy. This article demonstrates that housing stigmatization, which is differentiated from personal stigmatization and territorial stigmatization, is a viable unit of analysis in its own right for stigma research. Seven core elements are identified, showing that housing stigmatization is: (1) relational; (2) contextual; (3) processual; (4) reinforceable; (5) reversible; (6) morally loaded; and (7) treated as contagious. Comprehending the elements of housing stigmatization will benefit destigmatization efforts.

Combining tacit knowledge elicitation with the SilverKnETs tool and random forests – The example of residential housing choices in Leipzig

Residential choice behaviour is a complex process underpinned by both housing market restrictions and individual preferences, which are partly conscious and partly tacit knowledge. Due to several limitations, common survey methods cannot sufficiently tap into such tacit knowledge. Thus, this paper introduces an advanced knowledge elicitation process called SilverKnETs and combines it with data mining using random forests to elicit and operationalize this type of knowledge. For the application case of the city of Leipzig, Germany, our findings indicate that rent, location and type of housing form the three predictors strongly influencing the decision making in residential choices. Other explanatory variables appear to have a much lower influence. Random forests have proven to be a promising tool for the prediction of residential choices, although the design and scope of the study govern the explanatory power of these models.