Abstract:
Described as “the negation and dissolution of the city,” by Walter Gropius, urban sprawl has become a result of land shortage, availability and affordability alongside increasing population.1 The constant flux of cities, its environments and demographics require an architectural response for housing issues. Meanwhile homes in an urban setting have been compressed to the point where it has become merely a commodity and any social or cultural value has diminished. It is possible to defy the urban sprawl and decrease building footprints through challenging current housing typologies and the possibilities of living in a limited space without compromising a quality of life, while lending opportunities to address economic and ecological concerns. Small and micro have been historically associated with and stigmatized as temporary or portable solutions to affordable housing. Industrialization and standardization may have been cheaper, but were viewed as substandard to the traditional house. Prefabrication has developed with new technologies to no longer reflect these views. A bespoke architecture can be developed implementing these new technologies in order to maximize prospects for addressing housing issues while being modular. But at present, the interest in small housing is growing as its intimate scale and sense of escape from the outside world it evokes nostalgia creating a popularity in small that links back to childhood memories linking to cabins and tree houses. A home is a reflection of its inhabitants’ identities, entailing socio-cultural and family values while providing a sense of security and enclosure. This thesis aims to redefine modular architecture and living opportunities in response to the metamorphoses of people, their housing needs including potentials for tailoring and personalization. It questions symbolism of elements within a home and the potential for multi-functionality. The intention is to validate that space and size are not relative; the key to enriching the quality of a home is by manipulating the perception of space, which is explored through folding. Change in urban setting and a desire for individualization prompts society to seek adaptability and flexibility, found in small housing. By challenging the traditional living system, flexible housing at a small scale is a response to counter the global housing issues.