Diversity in Social Housing: Exploring new design strategies for public space in post-war modernist social housing projects. A comparison between Ghent (Watersportbaan) and Milan (Gratosoglio)

Abstract

After World War II, a dramatic decrease of the housing stock occurred. To challenge this crisis, many western European governments sought a solution in large scale housing projects inspired by the rules of modernism. Following Le Corbusier’s urban planning vision and CIAM’s modernist principles many of these projects arose. Mostly consisting of high slabs and towers, these high-rise apartment buildings became the standard to rapidly create numerous dwellings and to ensure a brighter community driven future for the neighbourhoods. It is fair to say that many of them did not completely succeed in their original goals. Nowadays it’s also clear that several of these buildings and neighbourhoods are dealing with multiple new issues and challenges in relation to our current society.

Today, our society has changed. Where once the social housing projects were designed for a heterogeneous share of the society; now the group of people who need social housing the most, is more diverse than ever. Different households, different ages, different religions, origins and backgrounds create new challenges for the social housing projects. Many questions arise.

How must these projects adapt to the current circumstances? How can a design be more flexible, sustainable and inclusive for the future of social housing? Even more, how to live together in diversity? The original residents of these projects saw the community change; they don’t feel connected anymore with their neighbourhood. New inhabitants and migrants also face difficulties to connect with their new neighbourhood. How can we create a new identity for these neighbourhoods? Which are the potentials of these neighbourhoods and where can we find them? How to reconnect people with one another, with their neighbours, community, institutions and the city? And finally, how to adapt old designs and create new designs, inducing a new inclusive and flexible identity for the community.

— Abstract, taken from the master thesis.