Housing +

For housing projects to be effective, they need to not only provide adequate shelter for residents, but also foster community building and empowerment. In such a context, does design have a role to play? This panel stresses upon the need to engage with local communities as an integral component of housing development, and questions the role of community participation in the design process. Additionally, it asks: How can design foster community building? What is the potential for scalability and replicability of community building processes currently commonly adopted in housing practice?

Andrea Bolnick, Ikhayalami,
Sheela Patel, Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres
Andrew Freear, Rural Studio, Auburn University
Moderator: Lawrence Vale, MIT

Housing forms the largest component of urban landscapes. Housing policy and planning can deeply affect the development of a household, a city, and a country. Current socioeconomic and environmental challenges, such as macroeconomic instability, changing demographics, and climate change confront designers and urban planners with the challenge of creating comprehensive, long-term and large-scale solutions to the problems of housing design and affordability. In which ways can this planning process promote housing design that supports community social structures and economic livelihoods? What is the relationship between design thinking and policy making for housing? And, how can best practice solutions and innovation scale-up to affect development outcomes at large scales?

Fernando de Mello Franco, URBEM
Kazi Ashraf, Bengal Institute
Nora Libertun de Duren, Inter-American Development Bank
Moderator: James L. Wescoat Jr., MIT

How important is the public realm in fostering strong and resilient communities? With this fundamental question framing the discussion, this panel explores ways in which place making and the design of the public realm can strengthen residential neighborhoods and encourage inclusivity, equity, and justice among local communities. It examines the contributions made by public space, urban amenities and social infrastructure in facilitating a higher quality of life for urban residents, and questions: What are the critical components of the public realm that contribute to the potential success of a residential development, especially for vulnerable populations?

Alejandro Echeverri, EAFIT University
Sol Camacho, Raddar
Sharon Davis, Sharon Davis Design
Moderator: Adèle Naudé Santos, MIT

Charles Correa (1955) Lecture on Housing and Urbanization

Introduction: Hashim Sarkis, MIT
Wang Shu, School of Architecture, China Academy of Art

As demographics shift and communities adopt new modes of living, design disciplines must innovate to develop new housing typologies. This panel explores what these future typologies can look like, including examples such as co-housing, modular housing, and live+work typologies, and how they can be incorporated into existing neighborhood models within urban settings. It questions: How can the efficacy of innovation in housing typologies be maximized? What is the role of technology in this housing revolution? What are the barriers to implementation of any new housing typologies, and how can they be tackled?

James Shen, People’s Architecture Office
Nathalie de Vries, MVRDV
Christoph Heinemann, IFAU
Moderator: Rafi Segal, MIT

As fabrication technologies evolve and proliferate at a global scale, designers need to develop innovative uses of these technologies to increase housing affordability internationally. This panel explores ways in which both low-tech and high-tech scenarios can provide innovative solutions to the affordability challenge for housing. It questions: Are there ways in which local communities can engage with new technology through a participatory process? What role can vernacular building mechanisms play in this innovation process? How can design and construction system solutions retrofit?

Daniel Wyss, Skat Consulting Rwanda
Anupama Kundoo, Anupama Kundoo Architects
Ying Chee Chui, Design O Studio
Moderator: Lawrence Sass, MIT

Housing and infrastructure are inextricably linked. Traditional approaches to infrastructure include large-scale planning, high capital and operation costs, and extended construction timelines. But, at what scale of infrastructure can affordable housing be best served? How can traditional infrastructure layouts be reimagined to accommodate the evolving needs of urban neighborhoods? How can infrastructure be used as a vehicle for community engagement? And, what role can architects, urban designers, and planners play in redefining the ways infrastructure is provided? This panel will explore the relationships between neighborhood form and the scale of infrastructure, through social, economic, and spatial lenses in affordable housing settings.

Raúl Cárdenas Osuna, Torolab
Alexandros Washburn, DRAW Brooklyn LLC
Diane Jones Allen, DesignJones LLC
Moderator: Sheila Kennedy, MIT

Due to rapid urbanization and the subsequent increase in the need for new housing, states are often unable to keep up with growing demands. To address these existing gaps, this discussion emphasizes the potential roles that other agencies, such as private and philanthropic organizations, need to play in making change happen on-the-ground. It reimagines the potential for engagement by these organizations within the larger housing provision ecosystem, to explore opportunities for partnerships, networking and investment. It questions: How can planners and designers develop attractive offers to philanthropists who demand a clear social return on their investment? How can housing philanthropy foster new housing solutions?

Steve Weir, Habitat for Humanity
Kenneth Munkacy, Kingbird Properties
Robert Buckley, The Urban Institute
Philip Yang, URBEM
Moderator: Adèle Naudé Santos, MIT