Abstract
Self-build housing is where the first occupants participate to various degrees in the site acquisition design and building of their own dwelling. This form of house building is prompted by tradition, existential need, economic grounds, as compensation, spare time or recreational building, artistic individuality, or social emancipation. Self-building has been practised throughout history in every part of the world, particularly in rural areas, but became uncommon in cities as they grew rapidly due to the Industrial Revolution. In the nineteenth century, some cooperative self-help housing organisations were formed in the United Kingdom in reaction to the grim inner-city conditions. At the same time in the United States, the ready supply of machine-produced nails and sawn timber enabled simple and fast erection of buildings in the pioneer communities. The aftermath of the world wars prompted government-led self-build social housing initiatives, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Sweden. Individual self-build is now common in mainland Europe. The rapid growth of cities in the developing countries has spawned large areas of self-built informal settlements within and on the outskirts of almost all cities, and at the same time, traditional forms of vernacular self-build housing have declined in the rural areas. The theoretical debate about social self-build housing revolves around the benefits of the freedom to build as opposed to the severe burden placed on the self-builder.
Published Version
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