Course: Unit XIV Dwelling Differently
This studio focuses on the design of places in which people live or reside – both buildings known as dwellings and public spaces in which we dwell – be it by choice, chance or otherwise. Students are encouraged to explore and reimagine the phenomenon of ‘dwelling’, which has been an important research theme in architectural phenomenology since the work of Heidegger (1951). Equally the business of designing homes has been a mainstay of architectural practice since its origins. Commentators have observed that ‘the private house occupies a unique position in both the history of architecture and human imagination. Beyond its core function of shelter, it is an object of fantasy, a source of delight, a talisman and a testing ground’ (Architectural Review, 2019).
Architects also have an important contribution to make toward the design of high-quality housing solutions. Mikhail Riches’ scheme for Goldsmith Street is a good example, it being the first social housing project to win the RIBA Stirling Prize (2019). In the UK there exists a long-standing ‘crisis’ that is framed by a chronic undersupply of affordable housing over many decades; it is often thought of as a crisis of volume, but problems equally exist at the micro level in terms of design quality and the lived experiences of residents. City dwellers need only look out their windows to see an ageing housing stock and to witness the visible disrepair of public- and private-sector rented properties and estates, as well as low-quality solutions such as office conversions that are not fit for purpose. Recent changes to the UK planning system, including the relaxation of Permitted Development Rights, appear to short-cut residential development, and seemingly lessen the need for professional design input and/or opportunity for any kind of statutory control on design quality.
In its inaugural year, the Dwelling Differently studio will explore the role of architecture in helping to improve the experiences of those that are homebound; that is those unable to leave their home. This may be due to illness or old age, but students are equally encouraged to reflect on other alternative experiences, for example those that are incarcerated or in situations of quarantine. From the outset we will reflect upon recent lived experiences of dwelling(s) in a pandemic – both individual and collective memories of time spent confined at home. The UK Government’s message during the Coronavirus crisis – ‘Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives’ – has since been considered one of the most successful communications in modern political history (Hope & Dixon, 2020), so much so that people have become reticent to re-enter cities and towns or public places generally. There are also new questions and performance criteria for our homes. Lockdowns across the globe highlighted inequalities in home environments, with some families confined to overcrowded and, at times, overheated apartments without access to outdoor space or satisfactory cross ventilation. Other households comprised of sole residents; some shielding from the virus and found to be at risk of social isolation and its ill effects. For some, lockdown was akin to house arrest. Architects should take advantage of an emerging narrative around the importance of good quality dwellings and help society to reimagine environments that reflect changed relationships with, and meanings of, home.