This document discusses 9 different housing theories:
1) Marxist housing theory which says housing is a basic necessity and economic status should not determine quality of housing.
2) Positivist housing theory which defines housing based on economic status, health conditions, and government contribution.
3) Functionalism housing theory focuses on social harmony and parts working together based on principles like efficiency.
4) Housing mobility theory explains why families move based on needs changing over their life cycle and neighborhood features.
This document discusses 9 different housing theories:
1) Marxist housing theory which says housing is a basic necessity and economic status should not determine quality of housing.
2) Positivist housing theory which defines housing based on economic status, health conditions, and government contribution.
3) Functionalism housing theory focuses on social harmony and parts working together based on principles like efficiency.
4) Housing mobility theory explains why families move based on needs changing over their life cycle and neighborhood features.
This document discusses 9 different housing theories:
1) Marxist housing theory which says housing is a basic necessity and economic status should not determine quality of housing.
2) Positivist housing theory which defines housing based on economic status, health conditions, and government contribution.
3) Functionalism housing theory focuses on social harmony and parts working together based on principles like efficiency.
4) Housing mobility theory explains why families move based on needs changing over their life cycle and neighborhood features.
A theory about (housing) architecture aims to say
something about what (housing) architecture is In itself (as typologies, as spatial and aesthetic configurations etc.,) In relation to other societal fields ’Internal’ theories Historic Texts which have been decisive for the professional and theoretical debate throughout history 1. MARXIST HOUSING THEORY
Marxist theory is considered one of the first housing
theories and starts from the assumption that every human has the right to quality housing irrespective of economic status, i.e. that the economic differences between the rich and the poor in terms of household incomes should be least visible. The Marxist view defines housing in terms of three fundamental dimensions (Soliman, 2004). 1)Housing is a necessary good, a means of subsistence that is necessary for the reproduction of the labor force and is therefore a good whose cost enters directly or indirectly into the production of all commodities. This means that housing in a capitalist social formation is of interest to classes of people other than those who immediately consume it.” 2)“Housing is a fixed good. A material precondition for producing a house is that it has to occupy land in a specific location. Land is a limited product and the right to use it is preserved by legal regulations (Soliman, 2004). 3)In a capitalist social formation, housing not only has a use but also an exchange value; it is, or can become, a commodity whose consumption can only be realized by those with a housing need and who can afford to purchase it” (Soliman, 2004). 2. THE POSITIVISTS HOUSING THEORY Positivist theory primarily rests on an “objective” approach to evaluating certain phenomena but in housing satisfaction studies, the “subjective” component is also important, that is, the perceptions and feelings of individuals. According to A. M. Soliman (2004), Positivists defined housing by three dimensions: 1)the economic status on which the physical improvement of the dwelling unit depends, and with which the dwelling unit increases its economic value; 2)the health situation within the dwelling units that can be measured; i.e. individuals should live in health-friendly facilities for the further development of the community as a whole, and 3)the contribution of the government in ensuring dwelling units where the authorities should ensure the availability of adequate housing for each individual (Soliman, 2004). 3. FUNCTIONALIST HOUSING THEORY Functionality as a social paradigm emerged in American sociology in the 1940s and 1950s and emphasizes social harmony and its preservation. It focuses on the harmony of parts within a system, based on the principles of economy, simplicity, townscape adaptation and functionality. The functionalist theory was most widely used in urban geography, especially in determining the hierarchy of functioning cities (both apparent and underlying). The functionalist theory of living was based on the statement that “the form always follows the function”, which was particularly applied in architecture. 4. HOUSING MOBILITY THEORY The theory of housing mobility was presented in 1955 in Rossi’s book “Why Families Move”. Rossi developed the theory based on Reiner’s idea of family home-based irregularities that trigger the relocation of a family (household), and also relied on the concept of a family life cycle for different housing needs. He studied housing mobility in the United States be- cause it was precisely the foundation of changes in urban areas and emphasized in his studies the typology of housing and the features of the immediate social and economic environment. They state that “the residential value of a flat does not depend only on the size of the flat and the facilities of the premises, but also on the services and facilities that enable social communication and sufficient provision of transport, education, information and recreational opportunities, as well as the possibility of the flat being supplied with goods and services” (Seda, 1972), in a wider area (i.e. neighborhood, urban zone or district). This is confirmed by the thesis that neighborhood features are extremely important predictors that will affect housing mobility. All variables affecting housing mobility are summed up in three factors according to A. C . Brummell (1977), which are aspirations, usability of space and stress. The concept of aspiration in the process of mobility was introduced by J. Wolpert (1965) who based the theory of mobility on the approach that individuals do not react to the environment but to an evaluation of the state of the environment. 5. THEORY OFHOUSINGSATISFACTION The originators of this theory were G . C . Galster and G . W. Hesser who developed one of the first definitions of living satisfaction in order to evaluate the judgment of an individual or household regarding the extent to which their current situation coincides with their ideal living situation and future expectations. Their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with housing depends on the current situation as does the need for permanent changes. Housing satisfaction studies are mainly focused on the analysis of the dwelling unit and its neighbourhood. The housing satisfaction research in the future will be equally attractive in all disciplines, from psychology to geography, because a large number of professions touch upon the dimensions of housing that affect the overall quality of life of an individual or a family. 6. THE THEORY OF MPRESSION FORMATION This theory was introduced by S. Asch in 1964, in a research that introduced an experimental method for investigating the forming of impressions. He found that the earlier information that an individual has, influences the forming of the first impression and he called this phenomenon, the primacy effect. Although the theory was basically focused on forming impressions of a person, in later research it was also applied in housing satisfaction studies. That is, if an individual was looking for a new dwelling unit and had some information about it, even though he or she did not personally see it, this information would affect his or her first impression when seeing the new dwelling unit. L. A. Brown and D. B. Long- brake (1970) supplemented Asch’s contention that forming impressions depends on past experiences and that the process of forming the first impression happens so quickly that an individual cannot at this time see the advantages or disadvantages of the object he or she is looking at. In the case of housing, it is certainly better not to rely on the first impression, that is, the individual should be aware and should not rely on a selective observation concerning the tendency to see on or in the housing object only the attributes that are in accordance with the needs and values of the individual (Pennington, 2004). The theory of impression formation is often applied in architecture and interior design for the purpose of spatial organization that affects human behavior and satisfaction in a space. In housing satisfaction studies, it is most commonly used in examining impressions of the physical aspects of the housing environment and the physical structure of buildings/ houses/urban furniture; i.e. in assessing personal satisfaction with housing and its adjacent features. 7. BEHAVIORAL HOUSING THEORY The behavioral approach to housing research was formed in the mid-1960s as a reaction and criticism of the positivists’ approach. Advocates of the behavioral theory were particularly critical of positivist geography studies, to understand man’s behavior as a set of rational decisions of the “economic man” (Jackson, Smith, 1984). The behavior of individuals in within the geographical context of space has been dealt with the most by behavioral geographers in the sub-field of social urban geography. Their research focused on the choice of housing location in relation to geographic conditions, and the results of such studies were models of housing choices. The choice of location and type of housing of individuals was based on personal assessments and subjective decisions, and behavioral geographers attempted to incorporate them into an application system. 8. THE THEORYOFTHE HEDONISTIC ERGOMETER P. Brickman and D. T. Campbell are the authors of this theory found in their research in the early 1970s of the 20th century. The promotion of this theory is based on the happiness and well- being of the individual by the subjective approach, while the key term is “adaptation”. The theory is often used to explain the weak impact of the domain of living conditions on the well-being of an individual (Brick- man, Campbell, 1971; Diener et al., 2006). The authors of this theory claim that people’s happiness, well-being or pleasure alters when there is a significant change in their life (e.g. relocation to another dwelling unit, better neighborhood) but that this changes, after the adaptation period when emotions and feelings return to neutral. 9. THE THEORYOFHOUSING ADJUSTMENT The theory of housing adjustment is the most cited theory in housing satisfaction studies. Numerous authors have also used it in works on housing preferences, housing mobility and decision-making of different age groups. E. W. Morris and M. Winter (1975) are the founders of this theory which assess housing satisfaction based on cultural and family norms, and starts from maintaining the housing balance in the household. This balance marks the current housing satisfaction that is in line with certain norms. The focus of satisfaction in this theory is on housing norms that include the housing structure, the type and quality of dwelling unit, the allocation of space, the expenditure resulting from the use of housing and satisfaction with the neighborhood. This means that the theory is closely related to the subjective experience of an individual or a family about their own housing satisfaction. If one or more of the norms are not met, then the so-called “housing deficit” occurs. 10.THEHOUSINGPRICE THEORY The housing price theory emerged in the 1980s of the last century and begins with the assumption that housing satisfaction increases proportionally to cost growth (Stokols, Shumaker, 1982) and their casual- consequential relationship (higher costs - greater satisfaction with housing, lower costs - less satisfaction with housing). This theory has both positive and negative sides. The positive side of the theory relies on the fact that the achieved housing satisfaction is to be sustained and in that case the objective justifies the means, that is, if the higher allocated costs mean continual housing satisfaction then the theory is justified. In case the satisfaction with the other components of the quality of life decreases due to the domain of housing, the question is how much the quality of life has increased or decreased overall. 11. THE THEORY OF THE ASPIRATIONSPIRAL This theory is relatively new, so there is not a lot of research in which it was used. A special contribution to the theory was made by A. Stutzer (2004), who explained it as an “ improvement, after which one aspires to improve” . Namely, if an individual improved his/her housing conditions and thus achieved the desired satisfaction, after a certain period, he or she could raise the housing expectations bar up a notch. On the example of housing, this would mean that someone who lived in a one-bedroom flat had the desire to buy a two-bedroom flat and when the goal was achieved, then all the energy would be focused towards achieving the dream of living in a three-bedroom flat. In discussing housing satisfaction, Chombart de Lau- we (1959) wrote about the needs-aspirations- needs cycle. The positive side of this theory is that it does not have to include social comparisons, so there is no comparison with norms or with groups of people who have the same or similar housing conditions, as they strive for their own goal. In this theory of housing satisfaction, assessment will refer to what people do not have, and not what they have. -The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts", containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and agriculture. -Garden City plans - cluster with a mother town of 58,000 to 65,000 with smaller garden cities of 30,000 to 32,000 each with permanent green space separating the cities with the towns. The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. Influenced by the world fairs of the late 19th century, like the 1891 Columbian Exposition, Chicago. Emphasis was on grand formal designs, with wide boulevards, civic spaces, arts, etc. Daniel Burnham spearheaded the movement with his design for Chicago and his famous words:“make no little plans…” Conceptualized by Le Corbusier in his book “the Cities of Tomorrow”. His first plan for high density living was Unite d’ Habitation, in Marseilles. A “super building with 337 dwellings in 10 acres of land. He also conceptualized Le C ontemporaine, high rise offices and residential buildings with a greenbelt for a population of 3,000,000 people. The Linear City - proposed by Spanish Engineer Soria Y Mata Stalingrad - N.A Milyutin,1930 The 3D city by Paolo Soleri Proposed by Edgar Chambless. Vehicular traffic will be along rooftops of a continuous network of buildings, while the streets will be for pedestrian use only. Proposed by the “metabolism group”; visionary urban designers that proposed underwater cities, “ b iolog ical” cities, cities in pyramids, etc. - The Floating City- Kiyonori Kikutake A 63 acre area. mixed used development that was built in response to the pressures of the automobile. An early type of Planned Urban development that had all amenities in one compound with multi- level circulation patterns. • by Clarence Perry and C larence Stein, defined as the Physical Environment wherein social, cultural, educational, and commercial are within easy reach of each other • concerns self sustainability of smaller unit • the elementary school as the center of development determines the size of the neighborhood. URBAN MODELS Sometimes referred to as cluster zoning Used in areas that are being intensively developed for the first time Ordinary zoning regulations can be suspended for this particular property Usually consists of a variety of uses, anchored by commercial establishments and supported by office and residential space A mixed use community with an average 670 meter distance of a transit stop and commercial core area. TODs mix residential, retail, office, open space, and public uses in a walkable environment, making it convenient for residents and employees to travel by transit, bicycle, foot, or car. Most TODs place residents within 600 to 700m of transit stations. This is equivalent to an average walking time of about 5 minutes. With TO D, the city and the transit system “ m eet in the middle” Allows residents to have easy access to transit stations, lessening dependence on the automobile. Boosts transit ridership and revenue. Developments that take the form of traditional neig hborhoods, while still accommodating the automobile and other modern amenities. -These are finely integrated, walkable communities with a strong local identity and with convivial public places. -The ideas of TNDs are further illustrated in “New Urbanism”.