Housing after Housing: Design strategies for resilient housing, focusing on adaptability concepts in modern architecture in wooden buildings

Abstract

Today, demographic changes require that the apartments we design need to be able to meet changing living requirements, both for today’s dwelling families and for those to come. With adaptable housing, a dwelling can respond to changing needs and enable families to remain in their apartments when such circumstances arise. In line with the building industry’s current direction toward sustainable solutions with wooden construction, this master thesis explores wooden architecture as a precondition for qualitative and adaptable dwellings in multi-family residential buildings. As part of a collaboration with housing developer Riksbyggen and Sweco architects, alternative apartment floor plans are being explored in “Gibraltarvallen” to assess how wooden architecture and design strategies for adaptable space can be combined to create qualitative and valuable apartment spaces. The current thesis examines the following research questions against this background: - How can adaptability strategies develop and create spatially optimal living environments that are resilient and best serve people? - In what way can apartments in a multifamily residential building be constructed using cross-laminated wood and designed to meet the requirements of adaptable space? The research methods and processes involve Research For and Through Design. Research for Design began as a theoretical investigation and was vital to gain empiric knowledge and get closer to actual design applications. Research Through Design used the theories reflected in Research For Design as part of the design process to link theory to practice and develop knowledge of design practices. The case study “Gibraltarvallen” will serve as a starting point for investigating the adaptability concepts most suitable for wooden structures. The preconditions for this thesis are the theoretical framework based on adaptability concepts, the prerequisites for design in wooden construction and the qualities of both the housing developer and household/ user, focusing on the spatial capacity and use (time). The results will define a set of guidelines for creating a typologies concept model, emphasizing the adaptability in wooden construction and how to create an adaptive concept to be used in future wooden housing projects. This thesis demonstrates that implementing adaptability strategies can affect the spatial qualities of the dwelling and the social attributes of the household. This will lead to increased autonomy and resilience in overcoming challenges that only time will inform.