Abstract

A perusal of the literature on housing debates reveals that the term ‘value’ is mostly applied to express the financial value of a house and is dealt with in economic literature. However, an alternative meaning of the word ‘value’ in the housing literature can be found in research into the values underlying housing preferences, applying research methods from the marketing literature. The explicit combination of moral values and housing policy and design is found neither in the academic housing nor in the philosophical literature. However, diving deeper into the housing debate reveals that there are a host of moral values already present throughout this debate that are often not explicitly articulated and explicated, such as inclusiveness, sustainability, autonomy, and security. The aim of this paper is to address the role of values in housing policy and design. By doing so, we apply the Design for Values approach (DfV). We argue that the DfV approach can help to make implicit moral values more explicit, which can improve the housing debate, housing policy-making, and housing design. The paper first explores which values are relevant for housing policy and design and operationalizes those values. Next, the paper describes key debates in housing such as: What is “adequate housing” in times of rapid urbanization and increasing house prices? We argue that by exploring the underlying values of these debates, stakeholders can create a better understanding of the current (lack of) fundamental discussions on housing issues

Highlights

  • We propose a Design for Values (DfV) approach for understanding the role that moral values can play in housing design and housing policy

  • The second, at least important, aim of the paper is to provide a framework that could help to proactively make informative value-driven decisions in housing. This is consistent with the Design for Values (DfV) approach in the literature on the ethics of technology

  • The paper aims to extend this approach into the realm of housing. In his seminal book ‘Freedom to Build’, John Turner provided two definitions for the notion of housing: ‘housing’ as a verb indicates action and events that refer to the act of community-making, while ‘housing’ as a noun connotes an object, a static phenomenon that is equal to the result of the production of houses [1]

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Summary

Introduction

We propose a Design for Values (DfV) approach for understanding the role that moral values can play in housing design and housing policy. The second, at least important, aim of the paper is to provide a framework that could help to proactively make informative value-driven decisions in housing This is consistent with the Design for Values (DfV) approach in the literature on the ethics of technology. The paper aims to extend this approach into the realm of housing In his seminal book ‘Freedom to Build’, John Turner provided two definitions for the notion of housing: ‘housing’ as a verb indicates action and events that refer to the act of community-making, while ‘housing’ as a noun connotes an object, a static phenomenon that is equal to the result of the production of houses [1].

The Design for Values Approach
The Relevance of Values in Housing Policy
Toward a Hierarchy of Values for the Housing Field
A Further Specification of the Housing Value Hierarchy
Debates in Housing and the Role of Values
Ideals for Design of Housing and Urban Communities
Neo-liberalization
Current Debates in Dutch Housing
Rethinking Dutch Social Housing
Away from National Policies
What is “Adequate” Housing?
Findings
Reflection
Full Text
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