Post-war Collective Housing Prototype(s)

Architecture and war are not incompatible. Architecture is war. War is architecture. 

 Paul Virilio and I, in our different ways, share an intense interest in the changes brought about by technological innovation, by cultural and social upheavals, by natural catastrophes like earthquakes and the social and architectural responses to them. I see these extreme cases as the avant-garde of a coming normality, one that we must engage creatively now, inventing new languages, rules and methods, if we are to preserve what is essential to our humanity, that is, compassion, reason, independence of thought and action.

 – Lebbeus Woods

During World War II, Japanese-occupied Hong Kong was bombed in multiple high-density locations, leaving millions wandering in ruins; the most recent Syria Civil War has rendered uncountable refugee homeless, forcing them to seek shelter in foreign countries where refugee camps and temporary buildings are mostly in inhuman conditions… Looking through the history of human warfare, the thesis aims to propose multiple  housing prototypes to tackle the crisis of housing scarcity in war-torn regions by introduce new housing concept for a hypothetical post-war area/context.

The thesis will look into multiple possible scenarios- creation of new living areas on undeveloped plots, as well as construction on top of existing built and/or ruined environment. It will be a study of mass social housing under unique and specific circumstances. Through the usual process of organizing basic housing unit(s) and planning of living cluster, the thesis will explore post-war building solutions per following principles.

Efficiency

Due to the possible economic recessions which typically follows warfares, the new post-war housing prototype should be both cost and energy efficient. Utilization of low-tech construction, prefabrication system, vernacular materials, renewable energy sources are critical in terms of creating new communities which are sustainable in post-war conditions. Recycling, rebuilding, rehousing is also crucial to facilitate the spontaneous transformation from temporary shelters to permanent accommodation.

Humanity

The prototype is not merely a primitive shelter in spite of the implements of low-cost measures- instead it should also focus on guaranteeing the privacy/comfort of the users, who are traumatized and despaired through the loss of their original homeland and who will be seeking for both physical and psychological shelters. Post-war housing units are to be integrated with common spaces where social activities can be carried on to strengthen the sense of community, with sufficient infrastructures which will support the residents, as well as spatial moments which will provide people with serenity/peace of mind.

Cultural sensitivity is also an important matter not to be overlooked. The rules of post-war housing is to rebuild carefully- it should respect local urban patterns/fabric and housing typologies, regardless of if it’s built from scratch on a brand new piece of land or clipped onto existing structures. The reconstruction is not to erase the memories of the brutality of reality, but to remember and improve.

Adaptability

The prototype should be able to adapt to the ever-changing post-war world. It should be easily assembled and upgraded, open to potential growth, development and expansion. The units should be portable, customizable, and flexible. There are various ways in which post-war housing units/modules can be arranged, subject to the community’s needs and the level of security required per socio-economic status.