M a s s H o u s i n g a n d S u s t a i n a b i l i t y
79
hold the boards, homeless could climb up behind the boards and the building’s wall and
find shelter from rain and snow while being heated by waste energy from the electric
lights. This particular proposal called for legislation ensuring that all new such boards
were equipped with proper spaces for the homeless offering exact dimensioning (UIA
1987: 14-15). The proposal was named the “The thick-ad” Law (Fig. 3). In addition to
encouraging the use of existing boards’ rear sides, it announced:
“From 1988 all advertising shields in the cities are to be “thick” enough to be used as a
modest shelter for homeless. 3m
2
of area will equal one shelter for a homeless.”
Figure 3: Housing the homeless in cold megacities behind huge wall mounted lit advertising boards.
Drawing: Michael Belov and Katrin Belova.
A complete rethink of how we build, who builds and under what control and conditions
seems necessary in order to come up with innovative ways of meeting the challenges of
housing the poor. It is a challenge encompassing not only the obvious technical-, cost-
and ownership model issues. It is also a matter of environmental qualities as used in the
term sustainability leading the thoughts towards energy and pollution (LEE, 2011). It is to
a certain degree a matter of environmental quality and of how the individual experiences
the surrounding environment through the question - is it degraded or pleasing? It is
hence to a certain degree a matter of aesthetics (LEE, 2011:168-178).
Compact housing size as an environmental initiative.
Le Corbusier, in his writing about The Radiant City (LE CORBUSIER 1935) argued for
an open and green design approach stacking people and flats on top of each other
instead of dispersing them all over he land like the British Garden city approach did. He
designed flats that he meant would be rational dwelling machines offering people 15m
2
per person. Although this is a long time ago, the challenge prevails. Which approach
shall we choose? Is it an either or, or can we combine the best of both worlds?
Le Corbusier also practiced what he preached. In the little cabin he designed at Cap
Martin, South of France, he and his wife spent all the summers since 1952 till his death
in 1965. They stayed in a confined, compact, rational in every detail timber construction
of 16m
2
and for two people, occupying only 8 m
2
each. (RØSTVIK, 2007: 38-42)
