Byera Hadley research reports
Tom Rubenach / 2017
Compact Living
Affordable Housing
London, Berlin, Australia, Japan
This research seeks to explore the potential of a more compact housing typology for Sydney and assess its compatibility with our shifting cultural expectations. It challenges the idea that a dwelling’s physical size should be a universal determinant for its liveability. Existing definitions of housing quality based on floor area ignore other criteria including greater flexibility, functionality and affordability. The research asks the question; how will housing respond to the frequently discussed idea that we have graduated from a possession-based to an experience-based lifestyle, and therefore the spatial values of our dwellings are changing.
The report examines three dwelling case studies; experimental micro housing in Tokyo, Japan, affordable housing models in London and co-housing models in Berlin. It also provides a foundation for accepting that compact housing typologies have a role to play in our continued efforts to provide supportive and affordable housing across the city.
