If you're looking for affordable housing, this is it

Abstract

This master’s thesis investigates how affordable housing can be created for women fleeing domestic violence. Financial insecurity often leads women to remain within abusive or violent relationships. This work examines whether affordable, self-organized housing, developed as a cooperative building group with the support of the Mietshäuser Syndikat, can provide a sustainable and accessible solution for women without initial capital see king safe, permanent housing. The research combines a theoretical analysis and architectural design. Karl Marx’s work and Elinor Ostroms commons theory provide the theoretical framework for analyzing the structural conditions of collective ownership, non speculative property models and solidary based financing. Particular attention is given to organizational structures and financing mechanisms of the Mietshäuser Syndikat explaining the association formation, governance structures and funding strategies. On this basis, a realistic architectural concept is designed for an existing building in Bremen, a city characterized by active solidarity. The site at Bismarckstraße 14, a former organic market, vacant since 2019 and now at risk of decay, is economically advantageous for this purpose. The one and a half storey structure currently does not integrate well into the streetscape, but by adding additional floors, new housing can be created while improving the building’s relationship to the urban context. This communal living project for women represents a mode of cohabitation that is sustainable from ecological, financial, and social perspectives, enabling women to support one another and to establish a new everyday life. The quiet but central neighborhood provides ideal conditions for creating a safe and supportive environment for women. The design demonstrates that a successful implementation requires not only a strong organizational structure and external support, to enable the realization of the housing project within a reasonable time, but also a sensitive architectual design. The concept balances privacy and social interaction in order to support women in different phases of healing and with different personal needs. The thesis therefore contributes a realistic architectural and organizational framework for solidarity-based housing initiatives aimed at vulnerable groups.