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A short class with Sarah and her students. The other ways are under More.
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Today, we'll explore how communities upgraded their shelters. Can anyone share some key materials they might use when improving their living conditions?
They might use timber and plastic sheeting!
What role does selling materials play?
Great question! Selling materials like plastic sheeting helped fund the hiring of local artisans for building. This strategy shows how economic feasibility drives change. Remember the acronym 'U.P.G.R.A.D.E.' for understanding this process: 'Utilizing materials, Prioritizing needs, Generating funds, Rebuilding, Adapting, Designing for individual needs, and Enhancing living conditions.'
So, it's about what each household can afford?
Absolutely, it’s about tailoring changes based on individual economic situations and community demands. This entrepreneurial spirit illustrates the adaptability of these households.
Meaning it's not just about building but progressing over time?
Exactly! Remember, upgrading shelters is a continuous process. Let’s summarize: communities use reclaimed materials, prioritize modifications based on need, and adapt through economic resources.
Next, let’s talk about the theoretical frameworks around housing. How do you think these frameworks influence the development of transitional shelters?
They probably provide guidance on how to approach building and design.
Exactly! Think about Christopher Alexander’s perspective: he said that a house is an activity created gradually. This is essential to recognize housing as a process. Can someone summarize what John Turner emphasized regarding use value versus market value?
He argued that the actual use and function of housing is more important than its market price!
Good point! Turner stresses that the relationship between people and their homes is crucial. Can someone explain Habraken's three levels of decision-making?
Sure! They are tissue, support, and infill. Tissue is the urban fabric, support is the building structure, and infill is the personal adjustments made within the space.
Spot on! So, to recap, housing involves not only physical structures but also economic and social processes driving its development.
Let's dive into the concept of space-time layers in buildings. What are some layers you think exist in a house?
There are foundations, walls, and ceilings.
Don't forget plumbing and electrical systems, those change over time!
Precisely! There are six layers, ranging from the unchanging site to frequently renovated layers like furniture. Let’s remember the acronym 'F.S.S.P.S.S.' to help: 'Foundations, Structure, Skin, Plan, Services, Stuff.' How often do you think the space plan changes?
Maybe every few years!
Exactly! Commercial spaces can change much more frequently, even every three years. Make sure to take note of how each layer interacts with time as we summarize: buildings have distinct layers that change at different frequencies, reflecting both utility and adaptability.
Now, let’s look at the role of community in housing development. How essential is community participation?
I think it's crucial for understanding needs!
It allows for better resource allocation too.
Exactly! The participatory approach engages both the individual and communal aspects of housing. Can someone explain the livelihoods framework mentioned in the text?
It examines how communities access resources to improve their living conditions, factoring in social, economic, and human aspects.
Good understanding! Communities can be empowered to become self-reliant. Let’s summarize this session by recognizing the importance of community engagement and resource accessibility in housing development.
The process through which households gradually improve their shelters based on needs and available resources.
The idea that housing is a continual evolution rather than a finalized product.
Tissue (urban fabric), Support (structural base), and Infill (personal adjustments).
Buildings consist of layers that change at different rates over time.
Upgrade your space, make it grand, with timber and sheeting, take a stand.
Once in a small town, families began upgrading their homes with the help of their neighbors. They started slowly with roofs and soon transformed their houses into welcoming homes, illustrating that change can come from collaboration.
U.P.G.R.A.D.E. - Utilize materials, Prioritize needs, Generate funds, Rebuild, Adapt, Design, Enhance living conditions.
S.P.I.T.S. - Structure, Plan, Infill, Time-bound layers, Support.
Term
Transitional Shelter
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Term
Use Value
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Temporary housing that develops incrementally over time based on user needs and resources.
The practical benefits derived from housing, as opposed to its market value.
The urban fabric or layout of a community, which typically changes less frequently.
The structural base of a building that can be modified over time.
The interior elements of a building that are often customized by the inhabitants.
A model assessing how individuals or communities access resources to improve living conditions.
This section discusses the incremental development of transitional shelters using reclaimed materials and highlights the importance of understanding housing as a process rather than a product.
The section explores how communities have modified their shelters using locally available materials, emphasizing the role of economic feasibility in these changes. It illustrates the theoretical frameworks of housing development, including how transitional shelters evolve over time and the significance of participatory processes in creating more resilient living conditions.
In this section, we delve into the concept of transitional shelters, highlighting a practical case where communities upgraded their living conditions using reclaimed materials. Within one month, 53% of homeowners undertook upgrades focusing on doors, walls, and ventilation features.
Beneficiaries used materials such as timber and plastic sheeting, and in some cases sold unused materials to hire local artisans for adobe wall construction. This process is dynamic and varies based on individual economic capabilities and community needs. The government recognized the potential for broader implementation, transitioning from 18-square-meter to 20-square-meter homes and aiming to build about 40,000 low-cost houses by partnering with UNHCR and other NGOs.
Theoretical insights by notable thinkers in housing, like Christopher Alexander and John Turner, emphasize viewing housing not as a product, but as a developmental process shaped by user experience. The notion is that what homes provide to inhabitants (use value) is of greater significance than their market value. John Habraken's framework introduces three decision-making levels—tissue, support, and infill—pertaining to housing and urban development.
Ian Bentley elaborates on buildings comprising six time-bound layers reflecting different change frequencies, suggesting that adequate intervention can streamline the creation of sustainable living environments. Lastly, the section underscores the significance of a livelihoods framework in developing owner-driven processes and acknowledges financial accessibility as a critical bottleneck in housing provision.