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
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While the focus on mass customised housing so far has been on energy efficiency
characterised by extreme increases in insulation levels (thicknesses) of building’s
envelopes and the introduction of innovative renewable energy and other technologies,
simple non-technology based planning measures have been played down. A revival of
those should encompass a redirection towards focusing on
area efficiency
through
questioning what is really needed as a well functioning bare-necessity unit. This will lead
to focusing on much lighter constructions with less material use and to a reduced
ecological footprint and a way of re-establishing sustainability as a key parameter in the
mass customised housing market without adding costs and burdens to the first time
home buyers.
In order to achieve the goal to deliver affordable and sustainable homes, the study of
good examples is necessary. It is a paradox that several of the most relevant examples
are found in the low cost end of the market, that of minimal area housing, squatter
projects as well as in the work of Le Corbusier in his Radiant City decades ago. Those
projects with a goal of offering excellent accommodation 8m
2
to 15m
2
per person are well
worth studying, along with today’s designs of inexpensive retired shipping containers
used as student accommodation of 20m
2
or less per person (Fig. 5) or not. These
projects show that there are many ways of achieving area efficiency and compactness.
We should study them to understand them and then move on revitalising their ideas and
updating them to the standards necessary in order for those ideas to become applicable
for the mass housing market.
Figure 5: Container housing as proposed in a student housing competition project in Drammen Norway by
3RW, Lalaland, Mong and Røstvik, 2011. The picture shows European examples. Photo: 3RW.
