Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The impact of building modifications on Algerian social collective housing

The impact of building modifications on Algerian social collective housing International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol. 6, No. 1, 123–132, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19463138.2013.780176 The impact of building modifications on Algerian social collective housing Bouba Benrachi* and Samir Lezzar Department of Architecture and Planning, Constantine Mentouri University, Constantine, Algeria (Received 15 September 2012; final version received 9 January 2013) The objective of the Algerian government was to build two million housing units by 2014 to overcome housing shortage. But little consideration has been given to achieve sustainable design and construction within new buildings, where flexibility and variety are necessary to allow residents to make changes and adaptations to their homes. This article reports on a study of two government-provided housing settlements in Constantine, Algeria. Eighty dwellings from social collective housing were analysed to evaluate their sustainability by examining two indicators: satisfaction with spatial organisation and level of flexibility in design. It was shown that many modifications were made, both small and large, to attempt to accommodate changing needs, size of families, and to satisfy new lifestyle aspirations. However, where alterations were made, the consequences were potentially hazardous to buildings and led to rapid degradation. It was sug- gested that to achieve buildings with longer useful life, future designs should build in more flexibility and better space standards. Keywords: social collective housing; flexibility; adaptability; modifications; sustainable design 1. Introduction natural disasters. But the authorities continue to provide these stereotypical dwellings in large quan- Achieving sustainability for urban development tities, without thought for their durability and the and the built environment is very difficult to do, sustainability of the built environment. No attempt particularly in Algeria. For many years, the con- has been made to search for better housing design centration of effort in Algeria has been to address and construction systems, which might help to keep the crisis of an acute housing shortage. Policies and traditional culture, while using new technologies. debates have been more about quantity than quality During the last 50 years, the Algerian gov- of dwellings. The attempt to address the crisis has ernment has made an enormous effort to over- been done by producing large numbers of standard come the housing crisis through large-scale hous- stereotypical housing units with designs that are far ing construction, in particular by providing col- from meeting user’s changing needs. lective dwelling units. The rate of these buildings As a result, most of these new buildings are doubled from 1966 to 1998, rising from 7.8% to subject to alterations made by inhabitants, either 16.7%, and many more have been programmed before or after moving in, to meet their social and since (Organisme Nationale des Statistiques 2008). technical needs and give them an appropriate life The approach of the government to housing con- style. These alterations have led to a rapid dete- struction during these last periods focused par- rioration and degradation of buildings and their ticularly on social dwellings (residential housing structure, and have exposed the housing to the risk buildings) and supported low-income families to of collapse that could be brought about by different *Corresponding author. Email: blezzar@hotmail.com © 2013 Taylor & Francis 124 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar gain access to property. This strategy brought about is a widespread housing provision that is not the delivery of more than one million dwellings necessarily fit for purpose, nor is it sustainable in during the last 5 years (2005–2009). Moreover, the the long term. Of course, sustainability can be very delivery of another million units is projected up to broadly defined, from the Brundtland definition 2014 (Ministère de L’Habitat et de L’Urbanisme (Gallent et al. 2010) of balancing environmen- 2009). But the new objectives of policy for hous- tal, social, and economic factors together, through ing were no different from the preceding, because many means of reducing carbon and energy use they concentrated on quantitative and economic (Drury et al. 2006) to the sustainability of commu- aspects. The new housing programs and designs are nities and lifestyles (Drury 2009). While recognis- no different from the former in either spatial design ing this, this article here uses the term to refer to or size, despite changing lifestyles and require- one specific aspect of sustainability and that is to ments for housing. Moreover, demographic, socio- extend the useful life of buildings, and housing in cultural, economic, and other changes mean that particular, and argues that flexibility may be one these dwelling types no longer meet the require- way to achieve it. ments of users (Hamidou 1989). In contrast to designing an individual house, Some researchers on housing construction and the design of housing comprising multiple dwelling social aspects have highlighted the “discordance” units cannot be so clearly defined. Designers rarely between multi-storey dwellings as a planned built know or understand future users’ preferences, and framework and inhabitants’ requirements (Lezzar this lack of knowledge is particularly common 2000; Benrachi 2004; Tebbib 2008). Results of amongst designers in Algeria. Yet, it should be their researches showed that this kind of dwelling noted that many studies carried out in other coun- and its size and layout of spaces did not respond tries have suggested that including flexibility prin- to family sizes and the way they lived, nor were ciples in building design, and particularly in multi- the technical services and building systems flexible storey housing buildings, can provide many options or adaptable enough for modern living. However, for changes over the lifetime of a building without findings of these studies had no impact on the altering the quality of the construction. Algerian government’s decision-making and did Lans and Hofland argued that, in the context not lead to readjustment of programming and of housing, consumers’ behaviour is changing and design methods for the future housing programs. consequently so are requirements for dwellings. Thus, these stereotypical apartments continue to be Because household requirements change over time, regarded as a single solution to overcome the hous- and different types of households have differ- ing crisis and as a single means to provide shelter ent requirements, housing must be flexible in its for the people. As a result, because inhabitants of design and adaptable to user’s behavioural changes these dwellings cannot afford to buy larger homes (Ozsoy & Gokmen 2005). For that, different lev- and have to live with the negative effects of space els of design flexibility within a building’s life- constraints, they make changes to adjust them to time can define the extent of adaptability, taking their requirements without expert advice and help. into account the difference between space flexibil- Consequently, these alterations do not conform to ity and technological flexibility (Lans & Hofland building regulations and result in serious techni- 2005). According to Edwards and Jovanovic, flex- cal and aesthetic problems. And of course these ibility could be considerable if it is within a room actions do not help to achieve the sustainability of in an apartment (room furniture), but at the level the buildings. of apartment (floor plan), the structure should have the capacity to allow for different layouts, although it is much less flexible (Edwards 2000; Jovanovic 1.1. Housing flexibility and sustainability 2007). It is clear that while the Algerian government has Flexibility needs also to be considered when provided housing in large quantities, the result aiming for sustainability as buildings may have a International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 125 lifetime of up to 200 years or more. The structure housing developments in Constantine (20 Août 55 and façades may need to last for a long time and & Boussouf). The first district was built in the be difficult to alter to meet changing require- 1970s with a precast concrete structural system and ments. In this case, Lans and Hofland stated that the second one in the 1980s with a tunnel formwork requirements are related to about 13 types of structural system (Figures 1 and 2). flexibility used to measure the extent of building The methodology in the field involved inter- design, including furnishing, floor plan changes, views with residents, observations and survey wheelchair adaptability, finance, identity, mod- drawings of the changes and alterations people had ernization, expansion, shrinkage (Lans & Hofland made to their dwellings. The plan layouts and the 2005). space utilization of the dwellings and the social However, to meet present and future users’ status of the users were examined to make a com- requirements, flexibility makes high demands on prehensive evaluation about residents’ lifestyles. building plans and forms, and consequently, the Based on the techniques used, the relationship investment could be considerable. Nevertheless, between the use of space and satisfaction with in the long term, it is worthwhile to think about sustainable buildings through the use of flexibility. It should be noted that, if the principles of flexi- bility were considered in earlier Algerian housing design, the buildings might have better satisfied users’ housing aspirations and helped to mini- mize unsuitable alterations and diminish the rapid degradation of their housing. This article reports the results of a survey into sustainability in building, which evaluates housing by examining two indicators: residents’ satisfaction with the spatial organisation of their apartments and level of flexibility the buildings offer. Two examples of social collective housing settlements in Constantine city were analysed to point out levels of satisfaction, the extent to which these Figure 1. 20 Août 55; district area. dwellings are flexible, the changes users have made and how these affected their traditional living, and the impact of changes on the building structure. 2. A case study of Algerian social collective housing The findings of this study are based on the results of research carried out in two social collective housing settlements in Constantine, where trans- formations were made by inhabitants to respond to their social needs. The investigation was based on the analysis of data collected from interviews with users and observations of space used to deter- mine changes made in the dwellings. The areas studied are the most important government-built Figure 2. Boussouf; district area. 126 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar layouts were evaluated and the level of flexibility were made by all families. The second were sub- of dwelling plans and rooms investigated. Eighty stantial and weighty alterations for the internal dwelling units from these two settings were exam- extension of spaces by removing of load-bearing ined in detail by analysis of interviews, drawings, walls. They were made by 90% of families. These and photographs. latter changes are shown for each plan type in Figures 5–10 and described further. 2.1. Family characteristics 2.3.1. First plan type (20 Août 55) These dwelling units were originally allocated – 60% of families had expanded their kitchen to families of state employees of the university and living room spaces by addition of a and companies. Most of these people have subse- loggia space. This involved removing load- quently moved and sold their apartments to other bearing walls (Figure 5). families, usually of a larger size. So the major- – 25% had converted their kitchen space by ity (60%) of families occupying the dwellings in addition of an entrance hall and storage 20 Août 55 has three or four persons and the major- spaces into a living room and changing ity (60%) in Boussouf has five, six, or even more drying and loggia spaces into a kitchen persons living in the dwellings. The profile of the by removing part of load-bearing wall respondents is 70% women who are housewives (Figure 6). and 30% state employees. Of the men, 50% are – 5% had converted the kitchen space into a state employees, 30% are employed in low-income bedroom and had converted their loggia and jobs, and the remaining 20% are retired. drier spaces into a kitchen by removing part of load-bearing wall (Figure 7). 2.2. Plan types The two main plan types examined in the two 2.3.2. Second plan type (Boussouf) different settlements have a similar block size – 30% of dwellings had the kitchen space and form. They are rectangular in shape, and the extended by addition of a bathroom space, dwelling units examined are of a standard total area with conversion of the drying space into of around 65 m . All of the plan types have two a bathroom, with consequent reduction of bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom toilet space. Also part of load-bearing wall with a separate WC. As can be seen from Figures 3 had been removed (Figure 8). and 4, the general layout and spatial organisation of – 60% made significant changes by adding the plan types are similar. a loggia space, enlarging bedroom spaces, changing the kitchen space into a bedroom, changing bathroom and drier space into 2.3. Transformations and flexibility partly a kitchen and partly a bathroom with integrated toilets. Load-bearing and façade Changes and alterations made by families have walls have been partially removed (Figures 9 been examined and grouped according to the plan and 10). types. The plan types examined showed that there were two kinds of transformation made by the fam- The circles/ovals in Figures 5–10 show walls or ilies to satisfy family needs. The first were light parts of walls that have been removed and those works and made to improve space use, security considered as dangerous are shown in dark black. of the dwellings, for maintenance and repair, and Because these are part of the structure, they are to enhance the aesthetic quality; these alterations crucial to support the building and live loads of International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 127 Figure 3. 20 Août 55; original floor plan. Figure 5. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. Figure 6. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. Figure 7. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. 2.4. Space use occupants, and if they are removed, particularly in the lower levels as the case in our studied exam- The research showed variations in the use of space ples, they create cracks in floors, compromise the and activity patterns occurring in the case study structure, and put the building at risk of collapse in dwellings, and the changes recorded on the plans case of earthquakes. and presented in Table 1 are as follows: 128 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar Figure 8. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. Figure 4. Boussouf; original floor plan. Figure 10. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. Figure 9. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. � 10% of families of 3 or 4 persons with dining, watching TV, and hosting guests. children of the same gender are generally The parents’ bedroom is used for sleep- satisfied with the number of rooms. Spaces ing and watching TV at night. The chil- are used normally. The living room, which dren’s bedroom is used for sleeping and is the family room, is used for sitting, studying. International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 129 Table 1. Variations in the use of space and activity patterns. Loggia and Living room Bedroom Parent’s bedroom Kitchen Bath Storage drier Space use by 10% Sitting, dining, Sleeping, Sleeping, Cooking, Bathing Storage Loggia and of families with watching TV, studying watching TV eating drier less than five hosting guests people Space use by 90% Sitting, dining, Sitting, studying, Sitting, watching Changed Changed Changed Used as of families with watching TV, watching TV, TV, sleeping use use use kitchen more than four hosting guests, sleeping, people sleeping hosting guests � 90% of families with more than 4 per- facades closed in and are used as a kitchen to free sons with children of similar or different the former kitchen space for other functions, such gender are not satisfied with the dwelling as living space. size. Spaces are used for multiple functions. 2.5. Resident satisfaction The living room is used for sitting, dining, watch- ing TV, hosting guests, and sleeping. The parents’ When asked whether they were satisfied with the bedroom is used for sleeping, watching TV, and sit- spatial organisation of their dwelling, 10% of the ting. Children’s bedrooms are used for sleeping, interviewees – families of three or four people – studying, sitting, watching TV, and hosting guests. responded positively about their dwellings, while In this case, living room and children’s bedrooms 90% – families of more than four persons – were are used for other tasks than those intended. Larger not satisfied. The reasons for the dissatisfaction kitchens are needed to house a lot more housework were an insufficient number of rooms (30% in such as cooking, eating, and making traditional 20 Août 55 and 60% in Boussouf) and the size of food (couscous) and bread. the dwelling (i.e. the number and size of rooms In some dwellings, a hall space is added to the – 60% in 20 Août 55 and 30% in Boussouf) kitchen to be used as a living room to free liv- (Figure 11). When they were asked what they ing space room for children. Loggias’ have their thought about the quality of their dwelling and what 20 Aout 55 residents Boussouf residents 100% 100% Number of 90% 90% rooms 80% 80% Size of dwelling 70% 70% 60% 60% 50% 50% Spatial 40% 40% organisation 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% 0% 10% 90% 10% 90% Residents % Residents % Figure 11. Residents’ satisfaction. % Satisfaction % Satisfaction 130 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar they would need to have, most of them emphasized the need for a sufficient number of rooms, while the rest indicated the need for a larger dwelling size. The most used spaces by the family mem- bers, and which have been modified in size, are kitchen and living room. The kitchen is used for a lot of traditional functions like preparing home bread and couscous, celebrating religious feasts for the family, like mutton feasts and others, which needed a large size for this space. Also, large liv- Figure 12. 20 Août 55; modified elevation. (Source: ing rooms and bedrooms can host a lot of people (at Authors 2011) night) during religious feasts, weddings, and even funerals, which constitute traditional values that are being eroded by the time and actual conditions of life. For both samples, their rooms (living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom) look to be very flexible, because their furniture can be easily moved and the shape of the rooms does not hinder this. But, because of the rigidity of the construction system, there is virtually no flexibility of their floor plan. Changes to façades and internal walls, which are part of the structure, are very difficult and even Figure 13. Boussouf; modified elevation. (Source: dangerous to adjust or remove. Authors 2011) However, these works had been carried out without expert’s advice or help, and according to building engineers, they endangered the stability of will accommodate many more tasks, such as sleep- the building structure. ing, relaxing, studying, eating, and so on. In addi- tion, sleeping spaces are separated by gender (boys and girls) and by family members (children and 3. Discussion parents). In some cases, and depending on the Our study on space appropriation for plan types household size, a separate living room is mainly for of social collective housing by inhabitants showed visitors. In this case, family privacy and intimacy that the socio-cultural dimension of users in terms are preserved. As a result, the remaining space is of space is one of the more determining elements reduced and some kitchen tasks flow over into bed- for housing programming and design. room spaces, like food preparation, which accords That is, the users did not lose all their tradi- with Algerian traditions. tional values, and the values conveyed by imported Internal dwelling spaces are the most trans- housing model are not all assimilated by the formed, because they have undergone not only users. Indeed, and in reality, interior spaces ini- light changes but also weighty ones, often with tially intended for precise functions are invested by the removal of load-bearing walls. These changes other functions and meanings. At the same time, allowed either the addition of one bedroom or the forms are found to be subverted and trans- the extension of various spaces to accommodate formed. Spaces whose purposes have been trans- larger family sizes or with children of different formed, mostly in size, are kitchens, bathrooms, gender. Where they altered the building structure and bedrooms. Larger bedrooms and living rooms (demolition of load-bearing walls and/or facades), International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 131 they completely modified the aspect of the building needed to meet present and future social demand elevations and created uncontrolled cracking in and for achieving more sustainable housing for building joints (Figures 12 and 13). The structural Algeria in the long term. This would have the added changes made by residents put all the occupants benefit of removing the need for residents to make at risk and could result in loss of life if the build- alterations and ensure that dangerous structural ings collapsed in an earthquake. But further, such changes are discouraged unsafe modifications could mean that even if the buildings did not collapse, they might prove dan- Notes on contributors gerous enough to need to be demolished. This Bouba Benrachi: Born on 28 May 1961 at Constantine, would be costly, unsustainable, and necessitate Algeria, D. Arch, M.Phil, Ph.D, is a full-time graduate replacement homes being built. and postgraduate associate professor at the Department Given the building types and their structure, of Architecture and Planning, Constantine Mentouri the level of flexibility is very low. Changes within University. She is a principal investigator of four research the dwelling made by users were generally just succeeding projects and is author of many research papers and has refereed national and international con- space extension in bedrooms and modernization of ferences. Her subjects of interest include architectural kitchens and bathrooms to satisfy lifestyle changes. and housing design, building technologies and regula- It should be noted that dwelling unit type, size, tions, and cities and urban risks. the positioning of technical services, and building Samir Lezzar: Born on 8 December 1953 at Mila, structure – factors that most affect the dwelling Algeria, D.Arch, M.Phil, worked as an architect in a flexibility – were not investigated. national building company from 1978 to 1988. He is a full-time graduate lecturer, preparing a Ph.D at the Department of Architecture and Planning, Constantine 4. Conclusion Mentouri University. He is a member of four research succeeding projects and is author of many research The findings show that most social dwellings papers and has refereed national and international con- in multi-storey buildings are designed and built ferences. His subjects of interest include architectural in a way that does not respond to present and and housing design, building technologies and regula- future users’ needs. If they are subjected to many tions, and building restoration. weighty changes over their lifetime, they will be unsustainable in future and cannot be integrated References within a sustainable built environment. Yet, it is the meaningful touches of the individual users in their Benrachi B. 2004. Evaluation de le Relation entre les Exigences Techniques et le Coût de Construction des homes that increase their satisfaction and show Logements Collectifs: Cas de Constantine [Thèse de their tendencies and preferences. If these are under- Doctorat d’Etat]. Constantine: Université Mentouri stood and accommodated, then this should throw de Constantine. some light on the future design for mass housing. Drury A, Welch G, Allen N. 2009. Resident satisfaction The study has shown that both the form of with space in the home. A report for CABE by HATC Ltd & Ipsos MORI. 27 July. [Internet] construction and types and sizes of dwellings pro- London: Greater London Authority. Available from: vided through the Algerian mass housing provision http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118 is rigid and inappropriate to lifestyles and chang- 095356/http:/www.cabe.org.uk/files/space-in-new- ing needs. This form of mass housing does not homes-residents.pdf work well in Algeria, and it is doubtful if it would Drury A, Watson J, Broomfield R. 2006. Housing space standard. A report by HATC Ltd. London: Greater work elsewhere in the region or beyond. It needs to London Authority. change. Edwards B. 2000. Sustainable housing: architecture, Therefore, it was suggested that introducing society and professionalism. In: Edwards B, Turrent flexibility in housing design and increasing the D, editors. Sustainable housing: principles and prac- space and number of rooms are the main elements tice. London: E & FN Spon; p. 12–35. 132 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar Gallent N, Madeddu M, Mace A. 2010. Internal hous- et Législation [Thèse de Magister]. Constantine: ing space standards in Italy and England. Progress in Université Mentouri de Constantine. Planning. 74:1–52. Ministère de L’Habitat et de L’Urbanisme. 2009. Hamidou R. 1989. Le Logement: Un Défi. Co-Edition: Programme quinquennal 2010–2014 [Internet]; ENAP-OPU-ENAL. Alger. Edition, MHU. Alger. Available from: http://www. Jovanovic G. 2007. Flexible organisation of floor com- mhu.gov.dz/pdf/pq.pdf ème position and flexible organization of dwelling space Organisme Nationale des Statistiques. 2008. 5 as a response to contemporary market demands. Recensement général de la population et de l’habitat Facta Universitatis – Series: Architecture and Civil : les résultats préliminaires. Données Statistiques, Engineering [Internet]; 5, p. 33–47. Available 496, Editions ONS, Alger. from: http://journaldatabase.org/articles/flexible_ Ozsoy A, Gokmen GP. 2005. Space use, dwelling organization_floor.html. ISSN 0354–4605. layout and housing quality: an example of low Lans W, Hofland CM, Jr. 2005. Flexibility, how to cost housing in Istanbul. In Garcia-Mira R, Uzzell accommodate unknown future housing require- DL, Eulogio Real J, Romay J, editors. Housing, ments. XXXIII IAHS World Congress on Housing: space and quality of life. England: Ashgate; Transforming housing environments through design p. 17–27. [Internet]; University of Pretoria, South Africa. Tebbib EH. 2008. L’Habiter dans le Logement September 27–30. Available from: http://hdl.handle. Social à Constantine: Manières et Stratégie net/2263/10355 d’Appropriation de l’Espace [Thèse de Doctorat Lezzar S. 2000. Le Vieillissement Prématuré du En Science]. Constantine: Université Mentouri de Patrimoine d’Habitation : Construction, Entretien Constantine. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development Taylor & Francis

The impact of building modifications on Algerian social collective housing

Download PDF
10 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/taylor-francis/the-impact-of-building-modifications-on-algerian-social-collective-ApTeZ6qdDZ

References (15)

Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2013 Taylor & Francis
ISSN
1946-3146
eISSN
1946-3138
DOI
10.1080/19463138.2013.780176
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol. 6, No. 1, 123–132, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19463138.2013.780176 The impact of building modifications on Algerian social collective housing Bouba Benrachi* and Samir Lezzar Department of Architecture and Planning, Constantine Mentouri University, Constantine, Algeria (Received 15 September 2012; final version received 9 January 2013) The objective of the Algerian government was to build two million housing units by 2014 to overcome housing shortage. But little consideration has been given to achieve sustainable design and construction within new buildings, where flexibility and variety are necessary to allow residents to make changes and adaptations to their homes. This article reports on a study of two government-provided housing settlements in Constantine, Algeria. Eighty dwellings from social collective housing were analysed to evaluate their sustainability by examining two indicators: satisfaction with spatial organisation and level of flexibility in design. It was shown that many modifications were made, both small and large, to attempt to accommodate changing needs, size of families, and to satisfy new lifestyle aspirations. However, where alterations were made, the consequences were potentially hazardous to buildings and led to rapid degradation. It was sug- gested that to achieve buildings with longer useful life, future designs should build in more flexibility and better space standards. Keywords: social collective housing; flexibility; adaptability; modifications; sustainable design 1. Introduction natural disasters. But the authorities continue to provide these stereotypical dwellings in large quan- Achieving sustainability for urban development tities, without thought for their durability and the and the built environment is very difficult to do, sustainability of the built environment. No attempt particularly in Algeria. For many years, the con- has been made to search for better housing design centration of effort in Algeria has been to address and construction systems, which might help to keep the crisis of an acute housing shortage. Policies and traditional culture, while using new technologies. debates have been more about quantity than quality During the last 50 years, the Algerian gov- of dwellings. The attempt to address the crisis has ernment has made an enormous effort to over- been done by producing large numbers of standard come the housing crisis through large-scale hous- stereotypical housing units with designs that are far ing construction, in particular by providing col- from meeting user’s changing needs. lective dwelling units. The rate of these buildings As a result, most of these new buildings are doubled from 1966 to 1998, rising from 7.8% to subject to alterations made by inhabitants, either 16.7%, and many more have been programmed before or after moving in, to meet their social and since (Organisme Nationale des Statistiques 2008). technical needs and give them an appropriate life The approach of the government to housing con- style. These alterations have led to a rapid dete- struction during these last periods focused par- rioration and degradation of buildings and their ticularly on social dwellings (residential housing structure, and have exposed the housing to the risk buildings) and supported low-income families to of collapse that could be brought about by different *Corresponding author. Email: blezzar@hotmail.com © 2013 Taylor & Francis 124 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar gain access to property. This strategy brought about is a widespread housing provision that is not the delivery of more than one million dwellings necessarily fit for purpose, nor is it sustainable in during the last 5 years (2005–2009). Moreover, the the long term. Of course, sustainability can be very delivery of another million units is projected up to broadly defined, from the Brundtland definition 2014 (Ministère de L’Habitat et de L’Urbanisme (Gallent et al. 2010) of balancing environmen- 2009). But the new objectives of policy for hous- tal, social, and economic factors together, through ing were no different from the preceding, because many means of reducing carbon and energy use they concentrated on quantitative and economic (Drury et al. 2006) to the sustainability of commu- aspects. The new housing programs and designs are nities and lifestyles (Drury 2009). While recognis- no different from the former in either spatial design ing this, this article here uses the term to refer to or size, despite changing lifestyles and require- one specific aspect of sustainability and that is to ments for housing. Moreover, demographic, socio- extend the useful life of buildings, and housing in cultural, economic, and other changes mean that particular, and argues that flexibility may be one these dwelling types no longer meet the require- way to achieve it. ments of users (Hamidou 1989). In contrast to designing an individual house, Some researchers on housing construction and the design of housing comprising multiple dwelling social aspects have highlighted the “discordance” units cannot be so clearly defined. Designers rarely between multi-storey dwellings as a planned built know or understand future users’ preferences, and framework and inhabitants’ requirements (Lezzar this lack of knowledge is particularly common 2000; Benrachi 2004; Tebbib 2008). Results of amongst designers in Algeria. Yet, it should be their researches showed that this kind of dwelling noted that many studies carried out in other coun- and its size and layout of spaces did not respond tries have suggested that including flexibility prin- to family sizes and the way they lived, nor were ciples in building design, and particularly in multi- the technical services and building systems flexible storey housing buildings, can provide many options or adaptable enough for modern living. However, for changes over the lifetime of a building without findings of these studies had no impact on the altering the quality of the construction. Algerian government’s decision-making and did Lans and Hofland argued that, in the context not lead to readjustment of programming and of housing, consumers’ behaviour is changing and design methods for the future housing programs. consequently so are requirements for dwellings. Thus, these stereotypical apartments continue to be Because household requirements change over time, regarded as a single solution to overcome the hous- and different types of households have differ- ing crisis and as a single means to provide shelter ent requirements, housing must be flexible in its for the people. As a result, because inhabitants of design and adaptable to user’s behavioural changes these dwellings cannot afford to buy larger homes (Ozsoy & Gokmen 2005). For that, different lev- and have to live with the negative effects of space els of design flexibility within a building’s life- constraints, they make changes to adjust them to time can define the extent of adaptability, taking their requirements without expert advice and help. into account the difference between space flexibil- Consequently, these alterations do not conform to ity and technological flexibility (Lans & Hofland building regulations and result in serious techni- 2005). According to Edwards and Jovanovic, flex- cal and aesthetic problems. And of course these ibility could be considerable if it is within a room actions do not help to achieve the sustainability of in an apartment (room furniture), but at the level the buildings. of apartment (floor plan), the structure should have the capacity to allow for different layouts, although it is much less flexible (Edwards 2000; Jovanovic 1.1. Housing flexibility and sustainability 2007). It is clear that while the Algerian government has Flexibility needs also to be considered when provided housing in large quantities, the result aiming for sustainability as buildings may have a International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 125 lifetime of up to 200 years or more. The structure housing developments in Constantine (20 Août 55 and façades may need to last for a long time and & Boussouf). The first district was built in the be difficult to alter to meet changing require- 1970s with a precast concrete structural system and ments. In this case, Lans and Hofland stated that the second one in the 1980s with a tunnel formwork requirements are related to about 13 types of structural system (Figures 1 and 2). flexibility used to measure the extent of building The methodology in the field involved inter- design, including furnishing, floor plan changes, views with residents, observations and survey wheelchair adaptability, finance, identity, mod- drawings of the changes and alterations people had ernization, expansion, shrinkage (Lans & Hofland made to their dwellings. The plan layouts and the 2005). space utilization of the dwellings and the social However, to meet present and future users’ status of the users were examined to make a com- requirements, flexibility makes high demands on prehensive evaluation about residents’ lifestyles. building plans and forms, and consequently, the Based on the techniques used, the relationship investment could be considerable. Nevertheless, between the use of space and satisfaction with in the long term, it is worthwhile to think about sustainable buildings through the use of flexibility. It should be noted that, if the principles of flexi- bility were considered in earlier Algerian housing design, the buildings might have better satisfied users’ housing aspirations and helped to mini- mize unsuitable alterations and diminish the rapid degradation of their housing. This article reports the results of a survey into sustainability in building, which evaluates housing by examining two indicators: residents’ satisfaction with the spatial organisation of their apartments and level of flexibility the buildings offer. Two examples of social collective housing settlements in Constantine city were analysed to point out levels of satisfaction, the extent to which these Figure 1. 20 Août 55; district area. dwellings are flexible, the changes users have made and how these affected their traditional living, and the impact of changes on the building structure. 2. A case study of Algerian social collective housing The findings of this study are based on the results of research carried out in two social collective housing settlements in Constantine, where trans- formations were made by inhabitants to respond to their social needs. The investigation was based on the analysis of data collected from interviews with users and observations of space used to deter- mine changes made in the dwellings. The areas studied are the most important government-built Figure 2. Boussouf; district area. 126 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar layouts were evaluated and the level of flexibility were made by all families. The second were sub- of dwelling plans and rooms investigated. Eighty stantial and weighty alterations for the internal dwelling units from these two settings were exam- extension of spaces by removing of load-bearing ined in detail by analysis of interviews, drawings, walls. They were made by 90% of families. These and photographs. latter changes are shown for each plan type in Figures 5–10 and described further. 2.1. Family characteristics 2.3.1. First plan type (20 Août 55) These dwelling units were originally allocated – 60% of families had expanded their kitchen to families of state employees of the university and living room spaces by addition of a and companies. Most of these people have subse- loggia space. This involved removing load- quently moved and sold their apartments to other bearing walls (Figure 5). families, usually of a larger size. So the major- – 25% had converted their kitchen space by ity (60%) of families occupying the dwellings in addition of an entrance hall and storage 20 Août 55 has three or four persons and the major- spaces into a living room and changing ity (60%) in Boussouf has five, six, or even more drying and loggia spaces into a kitchen persons living in the dwellings. The profile of the by removing part of load-bearing wall respondents is 70% women who are housewives (Figure 6). and 30% state employees. Of the men, 50% are – 5% had converted the kitchen space into a state employees, 30% are employed in low-income bedroom and had converted their loggia and jobs, and the remaining 20% are retired. drier spaces into a kitchen by removing part of load-bearing wall (Figure 7). 2.2. Plan types The two main plan types examined in the two 2.3.2. Second plan type (Boussouf) different settlements have a similar block size – 30% of dwellings had the kitchen space and form. They are rectangular in shape, and the extended by addition of a bathroom space, dwelling units examined are of a standard total area with conversion of the drying space into of around 65 m . All of the plan types have two a bathroom, with consequent reduction of bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom toilet space. Also part of load-bearing wall with a separate WC. As can be seen from Figures 3 had been removed (Figure 8). and 4, the general layout and spatial organisation of – 60% made significant changes by adding the plan types are similar. a loggia space, enlarging bedroom spaces, changing the kitchen space into a bedroom, changing bathroom and drier space into 2.3. Transformations and flexibility partly a kitchen and partly a bathroom with integrated toilets. Load-bearing and façade Changes and alterations made by families have walls have been partially removed (Figures 9 been examined and grouped according to the plan and 10). types. The plan types examined showed that there were two kinds of transformation made by the fam- The circles/ovals in Figures 5–10 show walls or ilies to satisfy family needs. The first were light parts of walls that have been removed and those works and made to improve space use, security considered as dangerous are shown in dark black. of the dwellings, for maintenance and repair, and Because these are part of the structure, they are to enhance the aesthetic quality; these alterations crucial to support the building and live loads of International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 127 Figure 3. 20 Août 55; original floor plan. Figure 5. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. Figure 6. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. Figure 7. 20 Août 55; transformed floor plan. 2.4. Space use occupants, and if they are removed, particularly in the lower levels as the case in our studied exam- The research showed variations in the use of space ples, they create cracks in floors, compromise the and activity patterns occurring in the case study structure, and put the building at risk of collapse in dwellings, and the changes recorded on the plans case of earthquakes. and presented in Table 1 are as follows: 128 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar Figure 8. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. Figure 4. Boussouf; original floor plan. Figure 10. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. Figure 9. Boussouf; transformed floor plan. � 10% of families of 3 or 4 persons with dining, watching TV, and hosting guests. children of the same gender are generally The parents’ bedroom is used for sleep- satisfied with the number of rooms. Spaces ing and watching TV at night. The chil- are used normally. The living room, which dren’s bedroom is used for sleeping and is the family room, is used for sitting, studying. International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 129 Table 1. Variations in the use of space and activity patterns. Loggia and Living room Bedroom Parent’s bedroom Kitchen Bath Storage drier Space use by 10% Sitting, dining, Sleeping, Sleeping, Cooking, Bathing Storage Loggia and of families with watching TV, studying watching TV eating drier less than five hosting guests people Space use by 90% Sitting, dining, Sitting, studying, Sitting, watching Changed Changed Changed Used as of families with watching TV, watching TV, TV, sleeping use use use kitchen more than four hosting guests, sleeping, people sleeping hosting guests � 90% of families with more than 4 per- facades closed in and are used as a kitchen to free sons with children of similar or different the former kitchen space for other functions, such gender are not satisfied with the dwelling as living space. size. Spaces are used for multiple functions. 2.5. Resident satisfaction The living room is used for sitting, dining, watch- ing TV, hosting guests, and sleeping. The parents’ When asked whether they were satisfied with the bedroom is used for sleeping, watching TV, and sit- spatial organisation of their dwelling, 10% of the ting. Children’s bedrooms are used for sleeping, interviewees – families of three or four people – studying, sitting, watching TV, and hosting guests. responded positively about their dwellings, while In this case, living room and children’s bedrooms 90% – families of more than four persons – were are used for other tasks than those intended. Larger not satisfied. The reasons for the dissatisfaction kitchens are needed to house a lot more housework were an insufficient number of rooms (30% in such as cooking, eating, and making traditional 20 Août 55 and 60% in Boussouf) and the size of food (couscous) and bread. the dwelling (i.e. the number and size of rooms In some dwellings, a hall space is added to the – 60% in 20 Août 55 and 30% in Boussouf) kitchen to be used as a living room to free liv- (Figure 11). When they were asked what they ing space room for children. Loggias’ have their thought about the quality of their dwelling and what 20 Aout 55 residents Boussouf residents 100% 100% Number of 90% 90% rooms 80% 80% Size of dwelling 70% 70% 60% 60% 50% 50% Spatial 40% 40% organisation 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% 0% 10% 90% 10% 90% Residents % Residents % Figure 11. Residents’ satisfaction. % Satisfaction % Satisfaction 130 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar they would need to have, most of them emphasized the need for a sufficient number of rooms, while the rest indicated the need for a larger dwelling size. The most used spaces by the family mem- bers, and which have been modified in size, are kitchen and living room. The kitchen is used for a lot of traditional functions like preparing home bread and couscous, celebrating religious feasts for the family, like mutton feasts and others, which needed a large size for this space. Also, large liv- Figure 12. 20 Août 55; modified elevation. (Source: ing rooms and bedrooms can host a lot of people (at Authors 2011) night) during religious feasts, weddings, and even funerals, which constitute traditional values that are being eroded by the time and actual conditions of life. For both samples, their rooms (living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom) look to be very flexible, because their furniture can be easily moved and the shape of the rooms does not hinder this. But, because of the rigidity of the construction system, there is virtually no flexibility of their floor plan. Changes to façades and internal walls, which are part of the structure, are very difficult and even Figure 13. Boussouf; modified elevation. (Source: dangerous to adjust or remove. Authors 2011) However, these works had been carried out without expert’s advice or help, and according to building engineers, they endangered the stability of will accommodate many more tasks, such as sleep- the building structure. ing, relaxing, studying, eating, and so on. In addi- tion, sleeping spaces are separated by gender (boys and girls) and by family members (children and 3. Discussion parents). In some cases, and depending on the Our study on space appropriation for plan types household size, a separate living room is mainly for of social collective housing by inhabitants showed visitors. In this case, family privacy and intimacy that the socio-cultural dimension of users in terms are preserved. As a result, the remaining space is of space is one of the more determining elements reduced and some kitchen tasks flow over into bed- for housing programming and design. room spaces, like food preparation, which accords That is, the users did not lose all their tradi- with Algerian traditions. tional values, and the values conveyed by imported Internal dwelling spaces are the most trans- housing model are not all assimilated by the formed, because they have undergone not only users. Indeed, and in reality, interior spaces ini- light changes but also weighty ones, often with tially intended for precise functions are invested by the removal of load-bearing walls. These changes other functions and meanings. At the same time, allowed either the addition of one bedroom or the forms are found to be subverted and trans- the extension of various spaces to accommodate formed. Spaces whose purposes have been trans- larger family sizes or with children of different formed, mostly in size, are kitchens, bathrooms, gender. Where they altered the building structure and bedrooms. Larger bedrooms and living rooms (demolition of load-bearing walls and/or facades), International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 131 they completely modified the aspect of the building needed to meet present and future social demand elevations and created uncontrolled cracking in and for achieving more sustainable housing for building joints (Figures 12 and 13). The structural Algeria in the long term. This would have the added changes made by residents put all the occupants benefit of removing the need for residents to make at risk and could result in loss of life if the build- alterations and ensure that dangerous structural ings collapsed in an earthquake. But further, such changes are discouraged unsafe modifications could mean that even if the buildings did not collapse, they might prove dan- Notes on contributors gerous enough to need to be demolished. This Bouba Benrachi: Born on 28 May 1961 at Constantine, would be costly, unsustainable, and necessitate Algeria, D. Arch, M.Phil, Ph.D, is a full-time graduate replacement homes being built. and postgraduate associate professor at the Department Given the building types and their structure, of Architecture and Planning, Constantine Mentouri the level of flexibility is very low. Changes within University. She is a principal investigator of four research the dwelling made by users were generally just succeeding projects and is author of many research papers and has refereed national and international con- space extension in bedrooms and modernization of ferences. Her subjects of interest include architectural kitchens and bathrooms to satisfy lifestyle changes. and housing design, building technologies and regula- It should be noted that dwelling unit type, size, tions, and cities and urban risks. the positioning of technical services, and building Samir Lezzar: Born on 8 December 1953 at Mila, structure – factors that most affect the dwelling Algeria, D.Arch, M.Phil, worked as an architect in a flexibility – were not investigated. national building company from 1978 to 1988. He is a full-time graduate lecturer, preparing a Ph.D at the Department of Architecture and Planning, Constantine 4. Conclusion Mentouri University. He is a member of four research succeeding projects and is author of many research The findings show that most social dwellings papers and has refereed national and international con- in multi-storey buildings are designed and built ferences. His subjects of interest include architectural in a way that does not respond to present and and housing design, building technologies and regula- future users’ needs. If they are subjected to many tions, and building restoration. weighty changes over their lifetime, they will be unsustainable in future and cannot be integrated References within a sustainable built environment. Yet, it is the meaningful touches of the individual users in their Benrachi B. 2004. Evaluation de le Relation entre les Exigences Techniques et le Coût de Construction des homes that increase their satisfaction and show Logements Collectifs: Cas de Constantine [Thèse de their tendencies and preferences. If these are under- Doctorat d’Etat]. Constantine: Université Mentouri stood and accommodated, then this should throw de Constantine. some light on the future design for mass housing. Drury A, Welch G, Allen N. 2009. Resident satisfaction The study has shown that both the form of with space in the home. A report for CABE by HATC Ltd & Ipsos MORI. 27 July. [Internet] construction and types and sizes of dwellings pro- London: Greater London Authority. Available from: vided through the Algerian mass housing provision http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118 is rigid and inappropriate to lifestyles and chang- 095356/http:/www.cabe.org.uk/files/space-in-new- ing needs. This form of mass housing does not homes-residents.pdf work well in Algeria, and it is doubtful if it would Drury A, Watson J, Broomfield R. 2006. Housing space standard. A report by HATC Ltd. London: Greater work elsewhere in the region or beyond. It needs to London Authority. change. Edwards B. 2000. Sustainable housing: architecture, Therefore, it was suggested that introducing society and professionalism. In: Edwards B, Turrent flexibility in housing design and increasing the D, editors. Sustainable housing: principles and prac- space and number of rooms are the main elements tice. London: E & FN Spon; p. 12–35. 132 B. Benrachi and S. Lezzar Gallent N, Madeddu M, Mace A. 2010. Internal hous- et Législation [Thèse de Magister]. Constantine: ing space standards in Italy and England. Progress in Université Mentouri de Constantine. Planning. 74:1–52. Ministère de L’Habitat et de L’Urbanisme. 2009. Hamidou R. 1989. Le Logement: Un Défi. Co-Edition: Programme quinquennal 2010–2014 [Internet]; ENAP-OPU-ENAL. Alger. Edition, MHU. Alger. Available from: http://www. Jovanovic G. 2007. Flexible organisation of floor com- mhu.gov.dz/pdf/pq.pdf ème position and flexible organization of dwelling space Organisme Nationale des Statistiques. 2008. 5 as a response to contemporary market demands. Recensement général de la population et de l’habitat Facta Universitatis – Series: Architecture and Civil : les résultats préliminaires. Données Statistiques, Engineering [Internet]; 5, p. 33–47. Available 496, Editions ONS, Alger. from: http://journaldatabase.org/articles/flexible_ Ozsoy A, Gokmen GP. 2005. Space use, dwelling organization_floor.html. ISSN 0354–4605. layout and housing quality: an example of low Lans W, Hofland CM, Jr. 2005. Flexibility, how to cost housing in Istanbul. In Garcia-Mira R, Uzzell accommodate unknown future housing require- DL, Eulogio Real J, Romay J, editors. Housing, ments. XXXIII IAHS World Congress on Housing: space and quality of life. England: Ashgate; Transforming housing environments through design p. 17–27. [Internet]; University of Pretoria, South Africa. Tebbib EH. 2008. L’Habiter dans le Logement September 27–30. Available from: http://hdl.handle. Social à Constantine: Manières et Stratégie net/2263/10355 d’Appropriation de l’Espace [Thèse de Doctorat Lezzar S. 2000. Le Vieillissement Prématuré du En Science]. Constantine: Université Mentouri de Patrimoine d’Habitation : Construction, Entretien Constantine.

Journal

International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jan 2, 2014

Keywords: social collective housing; flexibility; adaptability; modifications; sustainable design

There are no references for this article.