Housing Typologies Research Articles

Optimization of Embodied Energy and Construction Cost of Low-Income Housing in Urban India

India is the most populous country in the world, having a population of 1.42 billion in 2022. It is urbanizing rapidly, with the present urbanization level at about 35%, which is expected to reach about 40% by 2030. There was an estimated demand of 11.22 million homes in urban India in 2017, of which 95% was in the affordable housing sector. This demand is expected to increase with the current urbanization trends. The Indian government is promoting the construction of millions of affordable houses under its ambitious Prime Minister’s Housing Program. These houses are planned, designed, and constructed using local materials and techniques, considering local climatic, geological, hazard, and socio-economic conditions. We examined the 30 most commonly applied housing typologies to determine which typologies and materials have minimum embodied energy and construction costs. The results indicate that load-bearing housing construction of up to three stories, with a plinth–carpet area ratio of 1.31, constructed with any of the blocks-based masonry techniques, has the lowest embodied energy and construction cost, and houses with a plinth–carpet area ratio of 1.51 have the highest. Further, houses constructed with Hollow CC block masonry have the lowest embodied energy, and HF Fly Ash block-based masonry has the lowest construction cost.

The brazilian house: from Oca to My House, My Life

The present article addresses the development of housing typology in Brazil, from indigenous dwellings to "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" homes. The objective is to succinctly recount the trajectory of Brazilian housing typology, a rich and multifaceted narrative reflecting the country's cultural diversity and socio-economic challenges over centuries. The development of social housing projects aims to provide decent housing for low-income families, generating demand for labor and reducing unemployment. The proposed methodology is based on a historical and comparative approach, using bibliographic and documentary sources to examine transformations in architecture and Brazil's socio-economic context over the years. Furthermore, the article specifically studies the "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" program, providing a qualitative analysis of its effectiveness in promoting access to decent housing and its social, economic, and environmental implications.

Typology of Traditional Domestic Architecture based on Social Stratifications: The Case of Mamasa Tribe, Indonesia

Typologies of traditional domestic architecture across the world are based on numerous criteria. Certainly, social stratification is one among them. Mamasa tribe located in the West Sulawesi Province, which is one of the Indonesian ethnic groups with traditional architecture do so based on the social and economic levels of the community and the caste divisions. Their traditional architectural heritage still maintained to this day is the Mamasa traditional house called banua. The Mamasa community introduced caste divisions based on the social and economic levels of the community which physically influenced the form and typology of the Mamasa traditional house. This study examines the architectural aspects influenced by the social stratification of the Mamasa community: the function, form, space, material, appearance and decorative variety of the Mamasa traditional house. The research employed exploratory qualitative methods. Data collection techniques included direct observations, interviews and literature studies. In-depth interviews were conducted with several traditional leaders related to the Mamasa traditional house. The field data was correlated with data from the literature studies: journals, books, or website sources related to the research study. The findings indicate a strong correlation between the architecture of the traditional Mamasa house and the social stratification that exists in the Mamasa community. The typology based on the social stratification of the Mamasa society is: the first type, Banua Sura' is intended for the tana' bulawan or high nobility class. The second type, Banua Bolong is intended for the tana' bassi or the ordinary nobility class. The third type, Banua Rapa is intended for the tana' karurung or free-people class. The fourth type, Banua Longkarrin is intended for the tana' kua-kua or the slave class. These four types of banua each reflect the social and economic status of the homeowners through their architecture.

Achieving adaptability through various urban housing typologies

Achieving adaptability through various urban housing typologies

Enlisting the work of boundaries and boundary objects in shaping apartment waste

Recycling in apartments has been problematised around the world, as this housing typology is associated with relatively low resource recovery rates. Rather that assuming that occupant behaviours are the key concern, this paper starts with the observation that apartments are sites of unevenly distributed spatialities and responsibilities. They co-shape material and infrastructural affordances and call upon diverse knowledge of waste management in collective and shared arrangements. This paper analyses data from an in-depth qualitative study involving apartment waste and apartment households in Melbourne, Australia. It shows that boundaries and boundary objects help define waste and its relationships, mutually shaping and being shaped by material flows and reconfiguring responsibilities. The co-production of these boundaries and boundary objects is correlated to mechanisms of governance, regulations, assumptions associated with verticality/shared living, and seasonality. In the context of post-consumer waste recovery policy ambitions, the paper illustrates how a) shifting boundaries to redistribute responsibility b) engaging with somatic work to bridge boundaries that challenge material flows, and c) harnessing boundaries that nurture and normalize sustainable waste practices, can be potential sites of intervention. As a theoretical contribution, it draws upon boundary work and social practices as a novel way to inform interventions to promote sustainability.

Private housing compliance with public seismic safety measures after 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal

After the Gorkha earthquake in 2015, the Nepalese government introduced a series of seismic-resistant building designs to reconstruct and repair residential dwellings. The objective of this research was to explore the extent of compliance with the new prescribed or recommended seismic-resistant features in rebuilt residential structures in two Nepal districts that were severely damaged during the earthquake. The primary source of data was a field survey conducted with a structural questionnaire among 332 affected households during October and November 2022. The survey also utilized informal interviews at three study sites in August 2023, with results showing that 95%–97 % of total respondents reconstructed their houses according to earthquake-resistant standards. The same percentage of respondents withdrew the final payment from the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). Most reconstructed houses were smaller than before the earthquake; many respondents rebuilt one-room, one-story structures. In addition, housing typologies at the study sites changed from brick/stone and mud-based masonry to cement-based construction. Key Words: Gorkha earthquake, seismic-resistant guidelines, compliance with government safety measures, reconstructed houses, NRA.

ANALYSING THE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGY OF SINDH AND BALOCHISTAN: DWELLINGS AND THEIR VERNACULAR DESIGN

This paper analyzes the vernacular architecture in the hot-arid regions of Balochistan and Sindh to identify indigenous construction techniques and design strategies that have been part of the vernacular architectural tradition of the aforementioned regions. The paper aims to connect the age-old oral traditions of the remote region concerning construction techniques and materiality that have been translated into the vernacular architectural language/construction methodologies, dwelling layouts, and the overall identity of the region. Through a case study methodology of the local housing typologies found in the selected regions, the research will analyze various dwelling archetypes and their construction materials found in the highlighted region, such as the Chapper House, Kothi House, Chaunro House, built using rammed earth, compressed earth blocks, bamboo, and adobe. Furthermore, the research methodology also involves the analysis of relevant passive design strategies found in the identified vernacular case studies, such as verandahs, courtyards, clustering of houses, ventilation, and Jaali's, which will be identified and analyzed to understand their effectiveness as vernacular design strategies in combating the challenges of the harsh desert climate. Keywords: Vernacular architecture, Passive Design, Dwellings, Extreme Climate, Vernacular Materials

The Role of Small Localities in the Requalification of Territories: the Case of the Grand Medea Territory, Algeria

Since independence until today, the development of Algerian cities and the spread of their urban agglomerations haveled to the marginalization of small localities that were once flourishing because of their various vocations: rural,historical, cultural, etc. This contribution is part of a new vision of spatial planning based on the architectural and urbanrequalification of heritage resources and structures as a vector of the development of poor and abandoned localities.It will be presented through the example of the large territory of Medea and its surroundings. The research is basedon the identification, recognition, and enhancement of the natural, historical, architectural, and urban heritage of theterritory. It is part of the main orientation of the National Land Use Planning Plan (SNAT 2023) which is the territorialrebalancing. The approach made it possible to develop a territorial revitalization program resulting from the characterof the resources and potential of the site like cork factories, the recovery of abandoned farms, the creation of spas,leisure areas, etc. It also made it possible to develop a reflection on the housing typology to integrate into the ruralcontexts that characterize the Grand Medea’s territory.

EXPLORING HABITAT APPROPRIATION IN THE TRADITIONAL FABRIC OF AIT ATTELI VILLAGE, KABYLIE (ALGERIA)

This article examines the appropriation of housing forms within the village fabric of the Kabylian region in northern Algeria. The region has experienced significant architectural, spatial, and socio-cultural transformations, affecting both existing structures and newly produced forms. The study focuses primarily on spatial and architectural elements, utilizing observations, visits, and surveys of various cases. This is complemented by a socio-cultural analysis based on interviews and survey guides to identify existing housing typologies and the villagers' aspirations, as well as the broader social context. Several types of housing were identified, including villas, blocks of flats, and apartments. Residents appropriate these different types by integrating modern elements while retaining traditional aspects. This duality is evident in both architectural features and socio-cultural practices. The mechanisms of appropriation reveal an ambivalence in how villagers occupy their dwellings: while there is a strong desire for modernity to meet needs for comfort, security, and privacy, there remains a deep attachment to traditional structures and the values, practices, and traditions of Kabylian village society.

Potential for mitigating hurricane wind impact on informally-constructed homes in Puerto Rico under current and future climate scenarios

This study investigates the resilience of informally-constructed light-frame timber houses in Puerto Rico, a region where households with limited resources face significant risks from climate hazards, notably hurricanes. This study conducts a component-based, performance-based wind engineering assessment of informally-constructed house typologies, defined based on extensive fieldwork, under both existing and projected future climate conditions. Key findings highlight the effectiveness of certain mitigation strategies, such as reinforcing roof-to-wall connections, in significantly reducing the probability of failure. Fully-mitigated cases, which involve applying mitigation measures to the roof envelope, roof-to-wall connections, and shear walls, exhibited annual probabilities of failure that are much closer to, but do not necessarily meet, the threshold targeted by American building standards (i.e., ASCE 7). The results also show a dramatic increase in probability of failure of these houses projected by the adopted climate change model scenarios, driven by the increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes in Puerto Rico. Results from feedback from those working in the informal construction sector also identify challenges hindering the effective implementation of mitigation measures in Puerto Rican communities, including a lack of knowledge about how to implement the mitigation strategies and barriers related to real and perceived costs. Taken together these results underscore the urgent need for changes in building practices and revising building standards and suggesting potentially feasible mitigation strategies to improve those practices.

Vacillant planning for creating green cities: The empirics of urban greenery in Kumasi, Ghana

Greeneries contribute enormously to the health and physical wellbeing of individuals and sustainability of cities. This notwithstanding, greeneries in African cities have significantly declined over time. There have thus been several calls, notably, to plan for and create green cities by incorporating greeneries in homes and urban neighbourhoods. Achieving this requires local understanding, acceptance and positive attitudes of residents toward planning for and integrating greeneries in homes and the environment. There is however dearth of research in Ghana on the knowledge and willingness of households and city officials to plan for the creation of green cities as well associated barriers. This paper responds to this gap by employing the multi-case approach, comprising of two suburbs (a high- [Nhyiaeso] and low-income [Aboabo] neighbourhoods) in Kumasi, Ghana. A total of 380 households and various relevant city planning agencies were engaged in semi-structured interviews. The findings show considerable but variegate understanding of green cities, which is influenced by several factors such as study community, residency status, housing typology and educational attainment. Most households in both communities indicated their willingness to incorporate greeneries in homes and neighbourhoods. However, resource constraints, nonchalant attitude of some residents and poor maintenance practices, were reported as major barriers that impede the efforts to incorporate greens in homes and communities. Several recommendations are proffered. The study concludes that promoting and achieving the benefits of green cities can be shaped by the knowledge of it; hence, the need to consciously and continually educate households on their importance.

Exploring the Influence of Household Agent-Based Modelling on Whole-life Decarbonisation of Residential Buildings

Abstract Besides the operational and embodied carbon associated with the physical building, how significant is the influence of the heterogenous nature of household decision making in whole-life decarbonisation of the housing sector? This paper investigates the effects of explicitly considering these factors through agent-based modelling (ABM) of households integrated in bottom-up building stock modelling considering typologies of physical houses (existing and new/future) and different households, and how these might evolve to 2050 in the State of Victoria, Australia. The state population is represented by household typologies based on socio-economic status, tenure, and decisions as influenced by financial, physical/family needs and behavioural factors. The ABM is implemented using Python MESA software and the different house typologies’ whole-life carbon are calculated using the Australian Zero Emission House (AusZEH) modelling software and the Environmental Performance in Construction (EPiC) LCA database, respectively. Considering household decisions yielded higher operational carbon reduction on average across various scenarios, however these have less impact on reducing embodied carbon. And in Victoria, with increasing trends in population and housing demand, embodied carbon dominates whole-life carbon (WLC) outcomes. The heterogeneity of household decisions cannot be ignored and should be further studied along with embodied carbon reduction strategies and a broad range of scenarios that consider the dynamic and uncertain nature of factors that drive and influence the WLC of buildings.

Urban Housing Typologies Through Modern History

Abstract Urban housing typologies refer to different ways of designing and constructing various types of housing that exist in urban areas. They can be classified by function, form, shape, construction type, and materials. Several residential building models, typologies, and different solutions have emerged with the aim of solving the problems arising from overpopulation. Some of these have succeeded, while others have failed miserably. As the twenty-first century progresses, the world is facing major housing and environmental challenges; the increase of the population and the lack of resources and housing areas constitute a direct threat to human wellbeing, and to the “health” of the planet. This has already started to have a major effect on architecture in general, and on housing design in particular, with new sustainable models and typologies. This paper focuses on the historical development of urban housing, and investigates its shaping factors, and the most important theories and movements which had an impact on urban housing. Furthermore, the paper asks questions about what is driving change in contemporary urban housing design, and what the new directions in the field are, searching for solutions on demand. It also investigates urban housing typologies and classifications and their relations to the surrounding built environment.

Pathways of multi-hazard post-disaster housing reconstruction among Ivatan Indigenous households

Most disaster-affected populations face the complex task of reconstructing their dwellings with minimal or no external support. However, not much is known about the self-initiated reconstruction pathways of households, especially among Indigenous groups needing to address the competing impacts of multiple hazards. We conducted a case study analysis based in Itbayat, Batanes in the Philippines to understand the housing reconstruction trajectories of the Ivatan Indigenous households after the 2019 earthquakes that redefined their typhoon-resilient construction practices. Using interviews and focus group discussions, factors affecting the reconstruction process were elicited. Then, using concept maps, we explored the linkages of these factors leading to the adoption of the emergent housing outputs. We found that the emergence of new housing typologies that displaced the vernacular architecture was influenced by the compounded urgency to reconstruct houses, perceptions of housing safety influenced by the seismic events, the nature of aid provided alongside households’ financial capacity, and the regulatory barriers affecting traditional resource extraction. To achieve structural housing safety, this study demonstrates the need for policies that enable and guide reconstruction in emergency contexts, as well as systems to channel aid to provide equitable opportunities to build back safer. Additionally, the role of local governance is shown to leverage the use of existing indigenous construction practices salient for rebuilding. This study builds upon the heightened imperatives in the disaster risk reduction practice and policy environments to focus on the multi-hazard realities affecting communities and the use of local and indigenous knowledge to reduce disaster impacts.

Changes to Domestic Spaces and Home-Based Business in Ho Chi Minh City: A Case Study of Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Blocks

This article examines the impact of home-based business on spatial changes and architectural transformation in old apartment buildings, locally called Chung Cu, an under-studied housing typology in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). This article elucidates how looking into local ideas and practices of domestic spaces with home-based businesses can broaden existing scholarship on home culture. The term ‘home-based business’ is used in this article to describe commercial and business activities run by local residents in their homes. This article analyzed and presented first-hand data in both textual and visual forms and suggests that given the historical and social changes, particularly since the 1960s, the resilience, and persistence of home-based business, as a constituent of local life in HCMC, have significantly contributed to the making and transformation of domestic spaces in the city.

Beyond ownership: assessing diverse housing typologies and policy interventions for affordable housing in Dilla, Ethiopia

AbstractThis research addresses global housing crisis, a secondary city of Dilla in Ethiopia as a case study. This study seeks to fill the empirical knowledge gap in popular housing typologies and tenure types in urban development in the Global South outside metropolitan areas. Drawing from an in-depth study of 18 households, the focus is on housing choices of middle- and low-income households in a secondary city of Dilla, Ethiopia. Such cities so far have been less in the focus of researchers, compared to capital regions. The studied housing types are tenures of homeownership, private rental and a rent-free model as housing types, with informal arrangements playing a role in the last two types. Our study underlines the necessity of not only acknowledging, repairing and formalizing the existing semi- and informal housing developments but also of proactively planning for peripheral housing developments and future expansion, a strategy with broader applicability to the region and the Global South. Such anticipating measures include the development of water and energy infrastructure, land earmarking for much-needed public rental housing, and the establishment of robust tenant rights through legislative foresight.

The Cultural Codes of Home in Indian Cinema

The housing typology introduced by architects in India after independence departed dramatically from traditional settlement patterns. This break, as in Chandigarh, was an attempt to forge a new future. Concurrently, Indian cinema too set out to emphasize domesticity, yet one that alluded to real and imagined traditions. There were distinct differences, and between the two, it is cinema which ended up furnishing a more acceptable cultural and aesthetic model. Even today, cinema’s home contrasts sharply with the placeless geography of an actual house. This paper traces cinema’s typology of home in post-independence India.

Platform-Enabled Informality?

Problem, research strategy, and findings Digital platforms have transformed housing practices and enabled new markets to emerge. Here we report on a study in which we examined these practices and their implications for planning, focusing particularly on low-cost and informal rental accommodation. With reference to Australia’s three largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane), we investigated the range and scale of accommodation types advertised on major commercial and peer-to-peer platforms Realestate.com.au, Flatmates.com.au, Gumtree.com.au, and Airbnb.com, identifying an informal housing typology comprising secondary dwelling units, share homes or rooms, and Airbnb-style holiday accommodation, much of which violates local regulation. We found that secondary dwellings and other irregular types of accommodation comprised more than 3% of Sydney’s rental vacancies and more than 10% of enumerated rental vacancies in Brisbane during the study period of August 2021. Informal tenures such as rooms in share homes or negotiated arrangements offered by property owners extended rental supply in Sydney and Melbourne by the equivalent of more than 16% over the same period, rising to almost 34% in Brisbane. These findings show that platforms have enabled property owners to market illegal rentals and unauthorized dwellings but also have helped lower-income earners access lower-cost accommodations. Planners must determine which practices support affordability without generating unacceptable risks for residents and neighborhoods. Takeaway for practice Platforms have enabled landlords to market informal and illegal rental accommodation while evading regulatory oversight. Using data exposed on these platforms, our study shows the important role played by this sector in serving lower-income renters but also the risks for tenants occupying substandard units or precarious tenures. Planners must address these risks in supporting diverse rental supply.

Characterizing traditional Brazilian house typologies by means of intervisibility analysis

This paper analyzes the morphological differences in traditional urban architecture in Brazil between the typologies of rowhouses and urban or suburban mansions, from the mid-eighteenth to the early twentieth century. It focuses on the relatively uniform and conservative context of the states of Rio de Janeiro, Goiás (including Tocantins), and Minas Gerais. This study highlights defining characteristics of each of the two typological series. While most previous studies have looked at tree graph analysis to assess the topological connections between individual spaces, this research turns to intervisibility analysis, evidencing the morphological centers of compositions. The results highlight how visual integration analysis confirms the overlap between the spatial composition of both rowhouses and mansions and the attributes of social life specific to each of these typologies. These attributes include the location of the family room in the rear of rowhouses and, in contrast, the primacy of ceremonial spaces in the front of mansions.

The impact of globalization on the revival of innovative housing models in Doha, Qatar

After the oil and economic boom of the 20th century, Doha experienced significant development in terms of the architectural scene, design, function, and sociocultural transformations. The advancements in global architecture have facilitated innovative and streamlined construction processes, while creating a paradigm shift in the overall architecture of dwellings and how people navigate around the house. In this context, this research aims to study the impact of globalization on housing typologies and the factors influencing their evolution, focusing on the city of Doha as a case study. This study is based on a qualitative research approach that centers its investigation on Doha while exploring strategies for preserving Arabic-Islamic identity. The research investigation used a content analysis methodology to analyze three additional case studies within the MENA region. The results indicate that new housing typologies have emerged in cities due to globalization and changes in physical and sociocultural dimensions. In addition, preserving older neighborhoods and housing typologies through a bottom-up approach is essential for design creativity and climatic and sociocultural sensitivity while exchanging knowledge and sharing experiences between generations. Furthermore, this article promotes heritage awareness and encourages local authorities to preserve Doha’s surviving historic neighborhoods and architectural language to restore the city’s urban identity. The findings of this research can provide helpful guidance to architects and urban planners on how Doha’s housing has developed until the contemporary period.