Daisy Hart

Generation Living

Redefining Residential Housing  

INTRODUCTION 
For my graduation project I researched a number of topics related to residential housing and the way we live and develop throughout life. From global, national to personal scale level. The housing crisis or rather the living crisis is what led me to investigate this. The population intensity is already 523 persons per square meter. With an aging, growing and individualizing population, this is one of the most urgent issues of our time. 

When I look at my personal background, experiences and what has recently been going on in my environment, I also see part of this problem. 

I grew up in a house that has been in the family for several generations. Our family also lived together with my grand-uncle, to whom we later also provided informal care. I have experienced this living situation as pleasant and therefore have good memories of it. But other living situations, such as living with friends and later with my cousin, have also provided me with useful experiences that I want to use for my project. That is why it has a prominent role in the graduation research. 

RESEARCH & RELEVANCE 
By investigating what the different living / housing conditions are during different life phases. Maping out the needs and wishes. But also looking at where and how we live or when we move and why. I have made several discoveries wich I will ellebourate on during my presentation. 

THE UNCONVENTIONAL HOUSEHOLD. 
The housing market focuses on a number of typologies based on the most common household compositions, need and scarcity. Due to the changing demographic society, as the number of single-person households rises, and an increase of the exceptional household compositions such as the blended family. From this we can conclude that we can no longer only facilitate the standard family or household structures. 

My vision serves as a counterweight to this development. Living together as a starting point. In my design i have formulated five variants for which there is currently not much support, but for which the possibility should exist. Multigenerational living, as the starting point. 

THE LOCATION 
In my search for a suitable location to shape and test my vision, I chose the Rijtuigenloods in Amersfoort dating from 1910. 

The repurposing of industrial heritage is what fascinates me. These locations or buildings are now often transformed for utility purposes. This building is also made for that end, and is now an event location. Through my design I want to show that this kind of location can also be suitable for residential purposes. Giving residents a chance to experience living in unique industrial heritage, and to preserve history. The spacious plot also offers the opportunity to expand the design area outside these frameworks. 

THE CONCEPT 
The design is framed to create modules that allow households to configure their home that meets their housing needs. By composing the program within the grid, the main structure remains visible. As a result, the existing building remains completely intact. Creating open spaces such as a courtyard or patio.  The location en division is what the residents can determine. In the presentation I will give examples of this. 

Afstudeerdatum: 24 augustus 2023
Afstudeercommissie: Jan Richard Kikkert (mentor), Liesbeth van der Pol, Machiel Spaan 
Toegevoegde leden tbv examen: Saša Radenovic, Lisette Plouvier