Course Description

This innovative, intermediate-level course delves into the complex world of housing design, focusing on creating sustainable urban environments and inclusive dwelling communities. It addresses the pressing global issue of adequate housing, recognizing that close to a billion people currently live in slums and that accommodating a growing population is a critical challenge for society.

What Students Will Learn

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how social, economic, and environmental factors interrelate in the design of housing settlements. The course explores three key aspects of housing design: time (incrementality), environment (typology mix), and community (clustering).

Learners will develop skills to:

• Identify social practices and spatial configurations that determine the qualities of existing dwelling communities.
• Understand how incrementality, typological mix, and clustering can enhance living conditions in urban communities.
• Recognize design approaches that contribute to adequate housing neighborhoods.
• Compare housing schemes designed by different architects in various social, political, and geographical contexts.
• Evaluate the performance of dwelling communities considering social, economic, and environmental factors.
• Formulate design hypotheses and managerial strategies for inclusive housing clusters in low- or middle-income countries.

Prerequisites

• Undergraduate-level education in architecture, urban design, or planning; or
• Previous knowledge in disciplines related to the built environment and housing development in social sciences (e.g., art and architectural history, anthropology, sociology) or applied sciences (e.g., civil engineering).

Course Content

• Introduction to main design themes and course structure
• Incrementality in housing design
• Typological mix in housing settlements
• Clustering as a design strategy for creating meaningful communities
• Case studies of award-winning housing projects in different geopolitical contexts
• Analytical approaches to housing design
• Affordable housing design options, focusing on low- and middle-income countries
• Designing "housing for the large number"
• Intricacies of sustainable and inclusive housing design

Who This Course Is For

• Architecture and urban planning students
• Professionals in the built environment sector
• Urban policymakers and city planners
• Social scientists interested in housing and urban development
• Anyone passionate about solving global housing challenges and creating sustainable communities

Real-World Applications

The skills acquired in this course have numerous real-world applications:

1. Developing affordable housing projects in rapidly growing urban areas
2. Designing flexible living spaces that adapt to changing family needs over time
3. Creating inclusive neighborhoods that cater to diverse populations
4. Implementing sustainable housing solutions in low-resource settings
5. Advising on urban planning policies to address housing shortages
6. Collaborating on international development projects focused on improving living conditions in informal settlements
7. Integrating social and environmental considerations into architectural designs
8. Developing innovative housing prototypes for specific cultural and geographical contexts

Syllabus

• Week 1: Introduction to course themes and structure
• Week 2: Incrementality in housing design (Case study: Aranya Low-Cost Housing project by B.V. Doshi)
• Week 3: Typological mix in housing settlements (Case study: Shushtar New Town by Kamran Diba)
• Week 4: Clustering as a design strategy (Case study: Dar Lamane Housing project in Casablanca, Morocco)
• Week 5: Introduction to final assignment - Applying course concepts to local housing challenges
• Week 6: Review and final feedback