Dwelling in the Future: Land Use, Housing, and the Conditions for Contemporary Architectural Production

Drawing together writings, drawings, and photographs produced over the past decade, this volume focuses specifically on the issue of contemporary land value, availability and use as the fundamental condition determining architectural production and, in particular, housing. It presents design research towards new models of housing design for the future which respond to this key concern. While many books have been published by architects and others on the design of houses and, to a lesser extent housing, few have examined the social, political and economic conditions which set the parameters for design in any depth. Vastly inflated land values have effectively imposed strict limits and constraints on the public’s aspirations for, and expectations of, new housing design. But homes are where most people spend most of their time. Presenting a series of comparative proposals by PdAA for 7 housing/ mixed-use developments in the UK, the book sets out data relating to the established use and ownership of each site, the social and cultural context, and development and architectural strategy, including interviews with each client. In doing so, it provides detailed, comparative examples of designs for the making of humane and generous dwelling environments, incorporating opportunities for social interaction, individual self-expression, and equable coexistence which acknowledges the cultural difference and diversity typical of contemporary society.