FWO research project: Large dwellings in Flanders. Development of architectural and users strategies in view of demographic trends and ecological constraints. (R-2087)

From an ecological perspective the available housing in Flanders is far from satisfactory, because of the abundance of large, underused dwellings. These large homes, which are often situated in low density neighbourhoods, are at odds with a policy of sustainability, since the latter implies the need to minimize energy consumption and green gases while large homes in sprawled neighbourhoods generate high direct (heating) and indirect (transport) energy consumption. To simply demolish this housing stock however doesnt seem a realist option given the emotional ties of inhabitants to their dwellings. This proposal aims at a significant and fundamental contribution to the understanding of this complex situation, which is a prerequisite for future solutions. The proposal consists of three sections. A first, geographical section will generate a more precise and complex mapping of the phenomenon: which houses exactly are large and underused? Where are they located? Who are the inhabitants? What is the real estate value and what are the prospects in this respect? A second section comprises qualitative research regarding inhabitation experiences and expectations, relying upon a fieldwork methodology with home visits and in-depth interviews, resulting in an architectural analysis of the plans and an ethnographic analysis of the discourses of the inhabitants. A third section investigates through typological and design research possible strategies to adapt these dwellings to future conditions.

Keywords:Architecture, Ecology

Disciplines:Biological sciences, Environmental sciences, Civil and building engineering