Residential satisfaction assessment of a 1970s modernist housing community in Istanbul: searching for the reasons behind the preservation of a housing community’s current architectural status against the urban transformation movements affecting the entire city

Going against the mainstream popularity of high-rise housing developments dominating the Turkish construction market in the late twentieth century, Haluk Baysal and Melih Birsel collaboratively built the Istanbul Yesilkoy Housing Community project in 1973 using the principles of modern architecture. Although the modern lifestyle dominant in the design of this housing project did not emerge from the principles of life inherent to Turkish domestic architecture, this study examines how this project could remain resistant to the destructive force of a possible earthquake in a location where the land value is higher than many other districts of Istanbul. This study’s research question is whether or not the survival of this residential housing community could be attributed to residential satisfaction. The study’s research method was a residential satisfaction survey and factor analyses. The results showed that the continued existence of the residential community in the midst of the urban transformation movement is because the community satisfied its residents’ needs for safety, centrality, and neighbourliness.

     

The Effect of Urban Containment and Mandatory Housing Elements on Racial Segregation in US Metropolitan Areas, 1990–2000

Abstract: Urban containment and state‐imposed mandatory housing elements in comprehensive land use plans attempt to reshape development patterns. Urban containment programs reign in the outward expansion of urban areas by restricting development of rural land outside urban containment boundaries and focusing the regional demand for urban development areas within them. This article assesses the effect of urban containment and mandatory housing elements on the percentage change in racial segregation change among US metropolitan areas during the 1990s. Ordinary least squares regression analysis suggests that while metropolitan areas with strong urban containment efforts saw a higher percentage decline in Anglo/African American residential segregation during the 1990s than metropolitan areas without such policies in place, urban containment had no statistically significant effect on segregation between Anglos and other races. Mandatory housing elements made no difference in racial segregation change between Anglos and any other race. Policy implications are posed.     

Property rights,urban land markets and the contradictions of redevelopment in centrally located informal settlements in Bogotá, Colombia,and Buenos Aires,Argentina

Following rapid urban growth over the past four decades, informal settlements originally located in peripheral areas of large Latin American cities are now occupying increasingly valuable land in the central city. As a result, these communities are facing intense redevelopment pressures with important implications for housing accessibility. Although this situation is common in the region, central city redevelopment assumes a variety of forms depending on shifting approaches to land titling under different urban governance regimes, resulting in variegated, formal, and informal land markets. This comparative historical case study of Bogotá, Colombia, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, suggests that urban redevelopment planning has drawn on two contrasting discourses of property rights: one privileging private market approaches based in the economic theory of Libertarianism; the other favouring state authority and redistribution building on the ethics of Utilitarianism. In both Bogotá and Buenos Aires, however, de facto land-titling policies have shifted between the principles of Libertarianism and Utilitarianism under different political regimes, and neither market- nor state-oriented approaches have served to safeguard low-income residents’ access to housing. Instead, the shifting influence of each discourse has structured formal and informal land markets in ways that complicate long-standing debates surrounding land titling in informal settlements.     

上海既有住宅区适老化改造意愿和需求分析

随着中国城市人口老龄化程度的不断加深,城市建成居住环境适老化程度偏低的矛盾日益凸显。基于2012年针对上海市里弄、公房和商品房3大类既有住宅区进行的适老化更新改造居民访谈与调查,汇总、分析了各类既有住宅区老年居民对适老化改造的总体意愿和具体需求,旨在为城市更新与建设过程中提高老年人的居住生活质量提供建议。     

新加坡组屋规划设计演变及启示

居住是城市的基本职能,住宅建设水平直接体现着城市社会、经济、文化发展水平。新加坡组屋以居者有其屋著称,50年来,已从单纯解决房荒问题演变为提高住宅品质问题,并提升为国家精神内涵的载体。通过解析组屋规划、设计、建设的发展过程,针对我国城市住宅的发展现状和居民需求的发展趋势,从社会人文、城市规划、建筑设计等方面探讨住宅小区规划设计的有益启示,以期为我国城市住房,尤其是保障性住房的新一轮发展提供参考依据。     

Persistence of the socialist collective housing areas (KTTs): the evolution and contemporary transformation of mass housing in Hanoi,Vietnam

This study examined the spatial patterns and transformation of the socialist collective housing areas (KTTs). The areas experienced physical and functional changes with Hanoi’s urbanization after the country’s reforms. The KTTs were originally built on the outskirt of Hanoi during the 1960s–1980s. The development was influenced by the state-led mass housing model originated from the micro-district concept of the former Soviet Union. With the urban expansion of Hanoi, the KTTs have become situated in the city’s central area. The study attempted to analyze the location of Hanoi’s KTTs based on the distance from the inner-city area. The outcome of physical transformation, the use of spaces, housing prices, and conditions of the surrounding areas of the KTTs were investigated based on a resident survey of 240 households and field studies in six KTTs sites. Changes in the use of spaces on the ground-level, addition of self-extended structure from existing housing units, and wholesale redevelopment were observed from the field studies. The degree and pattern of changes were different by locational types. The KTTs located near the inner-city area with good accessibility was the most actively transformed. The study showed that the living conditions of the KTTs were influenced by the location as well as social and economic factors such as transitional living culture and an increase in the residents’ income. Furthermore, the study found that Hanoi’s KTTs play an essential role as adequate urban housing due to their locational advantages, the presence of an intimate community, and affordable housing prices.

     

Homo Economicus in a Big Society: Understanding Middle-class Activism and NIMBYism towards New Housing Developments

Abstract

Problems of housing supply and affordability in England have long been recognized by policy-makers. A key barrier to supply is seen to be community activism by so-called not-in-my-back-yard activists (NIMBYs). The localism policy agenda, or devolving decision-making down to the local level, is central to how the UK coalition government seek to overcome this opposition. This conceives NIMBYism as a demonstration of homo economicus – of the rationality of economic beings seeking to maximize their utility. In this view, residents would not accept large urban extensions in suburban areas because they took on localized costs with no obvious benefits, unless incentivised appropriately. In this paper, we use analysis of British Social Attitudes Survey data as well as the results of the first review of middle-class activism in relation to public services to identify the likelihood of residents being incentivized by this version of localism to accept new housing. We conclude that the evidence on the individual and collective attitudes suggests that it is unlikely that localism will deliver new housing. Importantly, the political power of affluent and professional groups means they can ensure that their opposition is heard, particularly in the neighbourhood plans delivered through localism. The paper argues that planning for housing needs to understand communities as homo democraticus – as actively engaged in negotiating between complex interests with respect to support for new housing.     

Urban regeneration and tenure mix: exploring the dynamics of neighbour interactions

Abstract

This article draws on in-depth research on the nature and intensity of neighbour relations in an area in Peckham, London, which underwent urban regeneration aimed at improving the urban environment and increasing the area’s tenure mix. Drawing on the literature on neighbouring, the article explores residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards their neighbours and the dynamics of their routine interactions. Despite findings pointing towards a general atmosphere of cordiality and solidarity, interactions were casual, coexisted with prejudiced views towards certain groups and areas, and were viewed by residents as part of their everyday social practices of community. As a result, very little else was exchanged between tenures, putting into question some policy assumptions that the increased physical proximity between housing tenures can potentially lead to instrumental interaction that can benefit low-income households in social housing. Reflecting on these findings, the article discusses some implications that have relevance for policy and research.     

京沪穗城镇家庭住房状况变迁——基于“五普”与“六普”数据的比较

住房以家庭为单位进行消费,确定住房市场发展方向需要进一步了解当前城镇家庭居住水平与住房现状。本文利用第五次人口普查和第六次人口普查长表数据,对京沪穗城镇家庭住房状况进行比较分析,指出一线城市经济发展背景下人口快速增长导致城市住房需求旺盛,这是造成城市住房价格不断上涨的重要原因。2000~2010年间,伴随房地产市场化进程,城镇家庭居住水平不断提高,京沪穗三地中广州市城镇家庭居住水平改善程度最高。当前一线城市家庭住房现状和消费偏好决定了住房需求还有进一步提升空间,住房市场调控要结合需求变动趋势来进行。未来随着一线城市住房租赁市场和存量住房交易市场规模日益扩大,住房市场结构亟待进一步规范。     

The path to successful urban renewal: Current policy debates in the Netherlands

In Dutch urban renewal, we observe an implementation gap between dreaming and doing. Dutch national government recently proposed to focus urban renewal on more than 50 priority areas in the cities and to reduce urban renewal subsidies. It is not very likely that this policy will accelerate urban renewal. This contribution suggests a different approach: the formulation of an urban district vision shared by the sustainable stakeholders in those districts. If they can come to an agreement, they deserve housing association finance and public urban renewal support. By targeting the plans primarily on the social climbers in the urban districts involved, the city can keep their buying power within the city. Combining physical, social, economic and safety agendas and adopting a multi-functional orientation would seem to be a successful strategy.     

From shikumen to new-style: a rereading of lilong housing in modern Shanghai

This paper provides a rereading of a particular dwelling form under the general name of lilong that has constituted the primary living space in the inner city of Shanghai, where ordinary Shanghainese have conducted their everyday life for more than a century (1870s–1990s). Attention is given to two types of lilong neighbourhoods, in which two housing types are involved respectively: one is the so-called shikumen neighbourhood, including its early multi-bay model and a later double- to single-bay model, which are believed to derive from a more native dwelling concept and value system; the other is the so-called new-style neighbourhood, which is believed to have its origin in western dwelling culture brought in by foreign sojourners and welcomed by locals. Based on a combined historical and typo-morphological reading, changes in both types can be identified at housing unit level and neighbourhood level. In terms of the neighbourhood structure in relation to a larger urban block, a dual structure of ‘outside shops and inside neighbourhoods (waipu-neili)’ was commonly adopted in shikumen neighbourhoods that helped to integrate those pocket-like houses into the fast-modernising urban environment through a mixed land-use pattern, while a more pure residential environment was created in the new-style housing neighbourhood where very few or none shop houses were to be found as ‘mediators’ between the neighbourhood and the urban. Differences in their unit plans also revealed a shift from a more metaphoric layout to a more functional layout, from the clan/family-based courtyard-centred living to the community-based alley-centred living, from a self-contained traditional living style towards a more open, more independent modern urban living style. Nevertheless, under the general name of lilong, these dwelling forms as a whole shared much of the experience of ‘alley-living’ that was due to simultaneous densification – the inhabitants turned this transitional space into a shared living room and multifunctional space, through which a particular local dwelling culture was created. As the first kind of mass commodity housing produced and consumed in the dynamic of local/foreign interactions within a market mechanism, lilong dwelling played a transitional role in Chinese urban history by challenging age-old values in the traditional dwelling system and bringing it further towards its modern version.     

Livability in dense residential neighbourhoods of Dhaka

Prime cities in developing countries, like Dhaka experience haphazard and intense horizontal densification. The livability of dense neighbourhoods needs to be investigated, particularly, the role of housing and planning in mitigating density problems and capitalizing the advantages of high-density living. This article argues that housing form and planned community facilities giving respect to socio-cultural practices can significantly influence Dhaka’s livability. Also, a wider definition of housing should be adopted to facilitate improvements in livability. As well, an integrated approach of residential planning is important in intensified housing development projects or planning for dense areas, encompassing housing standards, community facilities, public transport, open space provision and socio-cultural habits. This paper recommends the Bangladeshi Government to ensure enforcement of residential plans, to establish density zones in Dhaka’s main urban areas to guide spatial and transport development and neighbourhood facility provision, and to give greater respect for cultural practices in neighbourhood planning.     

Social Groups and Housing Differentiation in China's Urban Villages: An Institutional Interpretation

Possessing different land rights and distinct landscapes, and separated from the rest of the city by invisible institutional boundaries, China's urban villages are unusual enclaves for landless farmers, rural migrants and other urban hukou (citizenship rights) holders in a period of rapid urbanization. Although urban villages are well known for their disorder and unruliness, they provide temporary livelihood for indigenous villagers and inexpensive shelter for migrants and other urban residents. Urban villages are typically perceived as homogeneous low-income neighbourhoods characterized by low quality and high density housing. In fact, housing differentiation has emerged in urban villages among residents who possess different quantities and types of capital, rights/entitlements, skills and other assets. This paper aims to understand the social groups and the housing differentiation among them in the Chinese urban villages from an institutional perspective. It is based on a large-scale household survey in 11 urban villages in six Chinese cities. Empirical data show evidence of significant housing differentiation within these enclaves: indigenous villagers have become a petty rentier class; rural migrants pay the highest rents while enduring the lowest housing conditions; and housing conditions for urban hukou holders lie between those of the other two groups. Regression analysis suggests that urban villages share similar dynamics of housing differentiation as wider urban spaces, i.e. the combination of strong institutional constraints and emerging market influences leads to housing differentiation and inequality. Residents in urban villages are also highly mobile. The inflows and outflows of population form an important part of the urban socio-spatial restructuring process.     

Desirable Dense Neighbourhoods: An Environmental Psychological Approach for Understanding Community Resistance to Densification

This article examines an environmental psychological approach to exploring the attitudes of urban residents towards what they consider to be a ‘desirable dense’ neighbourhood. Socio-cultural expectations of high-density developments are explored through an analysis of residents’ perceptions of what constitutes a desirable high-density environment. The article presents specific findings identifying influences on residents’ attitudes to urban densification derived from three case studies of designated transit-oriented development (TOD) areas located in the Perth Metropolitan Region. It was found that community resistance towards future higher-density developments is rooted in the current socio-cultural context of the area. Community resistance may be driven by the physical quality of developments (such as building heights, overshadowing), however, deeper concerns are allied to the uncertain social outcomes that are the product of new development. A dominant cultural characteristic such as a disinclination to socialise with diverse people is found to be a negative response to dense neighbourhoods in all the case studies. This characteristic is more evident in populations of high socio-economic status. These areas are usually close to the central business district (CBD) where many infill high-density developments have been proposed.     

“It’s Just a Matter of Adjustment”: Residents’ Perceptions and the Potential for Low-impact Home Practices

In addition to material, spatial and thermal standards and norms that influence the resource intensity of home environments, a key indicator of the environmental impact related to housing is found in residents’ ways of life. Of interest to the study presented in this paper is how residents’ perceptions of home and living standards relate to opinions on environmental issues and the reduction of resource use, exploring the potential and willingness to engage in low-impact ways of living. Empirical material from a questionnaire (n = 156) and interview study (n = 22) with residents in a tenant-owned housing association in Sweden provides insights into conventions and perceptions surrounding practices primarily linked to voluntary simplicity, living smaller as well as sharing spaces and resources. The study emphasizes the need for understanding residents’ perspectives and the implications this might have for targeting the resource intensity of homes in future development and policy.     

Incentivizing residential land development

Abstract

The owners of undeveloped urban land are often blamed for restricting housing supply and thereby driving up house prices in the face of increasing demand. This article shows how greater variation in amenity values across a housing market reduces competition between developers and makes delaying development more attractive to landowners. Competition can be enhanced, and development of land accelerated, by reducing this variation. In particular, governments can increase housing supply in more desirable areas by taking actions that boost the amenity value of land in less desirable areas.     

Romancing the high-rise in Singapore

Since the 1960s, Singapore has continually built high-rise buildings to house its growing population. While many other developing cities are faced with a housing shortage, the greater proportion of the Singapore resident population is living in and owning accommodation in high-rise buildings. Drawing on interviews conducted with public housing families in their homes, this paper seeks to discuss and provide a perspective of the Singapore residents’ attitude to high-rise living. Although the discussion is focused on the Singapore resident perspective, high-rise living experience is not unique to Singapore. If international building and urbanization trends are any indication, more and more urban residents will have the opportunity to live in high-rise housing. A widening number of cities, including London, are building 50-story housing as the latest answer to their country’s housing shortages. Given the extensive high-rise living in Singapore, the findings of this paper stand to offer important implications to cities considering high-rise housing.     

Models of Urban Transformation: Informal Housing in Ankara

Squatter housing (called gecekondu in Turkish) has been the central element of urban discussions in Turkey since the beginning of the 1950s. However, the solutions to this problem have changed over time. Until the mid-1960s, governments had a negative attitude to squatter housing areas and their populations, seeing them as the sources of social ills in the urban system. Thus, renewal was defined as clearance and redevelopment. However, this situation changed in the 1970s, preparing the necessary ground for rehabilitation and upgrading. In contrast, in the 1980s renewal was evaluated in a global context and equaled regeneration. So, following the 1980s, squatter housing areas have again been considered as problem areas which have to be transformed for the capitalization of global interests, in the name of urban rent. These areas could have been transformed into prestige areas to increase the physical and visual wealth of the city. Thus, first with the improvement plans and later with the urban transformation projects, squatter housing areas have been subject to urban renewal for the betterment of urban space. This study aims to compare these two different squatter housing transformation approaches from the point of view of their impact on the physical and social topography of Ankara, the capital city of Turkey.     

Social representations of children in higher density housing: enviable,inevitable or evil?

Abstract

An increased focus on housing diversity in planning policy, international flows of capital and changing lifestyle preferences are resulting in increased higher density housing often marketed towards professional singles, couples without children and ‘empty nesters.’ Despite this, families with children currently dwell in higher density housing, either by choice or by necessity. This research identifies the social representations surrounding children in higher density housing in Australia’s third largest city, Brisbane. It does this by analysing newspaper media published between 2007 and 2014 and through 46 interviews with residents and built-form professionals from Brisbane. The research finds four key representations; that children belong in the suburbs; increasing support for wealthy families in higher density housing; an economic argument for the lack of family-appropriate apartments; and an increasing acceptance of medium-density housing for younger households. This research draws attention to the winners and losers in housing debates and the ‘common-sense’ assumptions that impact housing outcomes.     

Kuy-e Narmak (1952–1958): the growth and change of an urban community in Tehran

ABSTRACT

This article examines the growth and change through time of Kuy-e Narmak, a housing neighbourhood developed in the 1950s under the auspices of Mosaddeq’s Modernization Program. The project was designed by a group of young-leading European-educated Iranian architects that collaborated with the government to develop affordable housing solutions in Iran. To design this project, these architects advanced solutions that explored a cross-pollination between the principles of the functional city, and references from vernacular architecture. Over the last 6 decades, the number of households living in Narmak increased dramatically, from the initial goal of accommodating 7500 families, to the 90,000 families that currently live there. This article discusses the extent to which the initial design decisions were instrumental to cope with this extraordinary increase in the district’s density. We have used typological and morphological analysis, combined with site surveys and interviews to investigate the district’s growth and change through time. This article argues that the designer’s critical combination of modernist planning concepts with elements borrowed from Iran’s vernacular tradition resulted in a socially inclusive urban community. The plan’s rigid urban form has become instrumental in defining a neutral background to accommodate the ever-changing social and spatial practices of its inhabitants.