H OUSING

IN THE CONTEXT OF
MAN’S NEEDS

Why do humans need houses?

CONJUNTO
vs ALAGADO

Which is the better option?

H OUSE SHELTER
H OUS|ING PROCESS

BAHAY Should the process be direct or

PA| BAHAY should it be organic?
 “Housing is [an] activity… on which
immediate things in life depend: the
cultivation and preparation of food,
the clothing of ourselves, the care of
our bodies, the procreation and
nurture of children, and the
sheltering of these activities.”
ARCH. JOHN F. TURNER, professor
 What are possible considerations in delivering the
Housing Process?

THE PERFECTION
OF A PROCESS
REQUIRES
MULTIPLE
CONSIDERATIONS.
ARCH. KONSTANTINOS DOXIADIS,
urban planner

“‘The holistic view’ of housing

requires both a physical and
hidden dimension.”
 TO BUILD is a complex
of policies, programs,
finance management, and
design continuum.

BUILDING is a process.

ARCH. KONSTANTINOS DOXIADIS,

urban planner
What should be at the end of the Housing process?
HOUSING Satisfaction
<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2011/entries/happiness/>.
2011 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
Haybron, Dan, "Happiness", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall

DAN HAYBRON:

“Philosophers who write about “happiness” take [it] to be either

of two things:

1. A state of mind; and

• Psychological
• Hedonistic (satisfaction in experiences)

2. A life that goes well for the person leading it

• Nearly physiological (satisfaction of well-being)
• Actually having what is desired rather than simply being happy
with experiences
 'It is quite true that man lives by
bread alone — when there is no
bread.

But what happens to man’s desires

when there is plenty of bread and
when his belly is chronically filled?
ABRAHAM MASLOW
“...At once other (and
“higher”) needs emerge
and these, rather than
physiological hungers,
dominate the organism.
And when these in turn
are satisfied, again new
(and still “higher”) needs
emerge and so on.

This is what we mean

by saying that the
basic human needs
are organized into a
hierarchy of
relative prepotency'

(Maslow, 1943, p. 375).

PHYSIOLOGICAL

HIGH
SAFETY
(SECURITY)

SOCIAL
(AFFILIATION)

ESTEEM
(RECOGNITION)

SELF-
ACTUALIZATION
LOW
M ASL OW’S H E I RA R CH Y OF N EE D S (STRENGTH OF NEED)
How are human needs related to
housing and settlement?
MASLOW’S HEIRARCHY OF NEEDS + THE BUILT
“My house must reflect my PUBLIC AND IMPROVEMENT OF
principles in sustainable living.” PRIVATE SETTINGS ONE’S SELF SELF
ENVIRONMENT and USER-REQUIREMENTS
ACTUALIZATION

“My house must be custom- EXPRESSION OF SOURCE OF PRIDE,

designed.” IDENTITY; REFLECTION OF SELF- ESTEEM
PERSONALIZATION ECONOMIC STANDING
& AFFILIATION

“The community must have a COMMUNITY SENSE OF

clubhouse” SETTING BELONGING; SOCIAL NEEDS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
INTERACTION

“The house must be located in a DEFENSIBLE PROTECTION FROM

SPACE; VIOLENCE/ SAFETY
safe area.”
TERRITORIALITY LAWLESSNESS

“Any roof above the head will do” BUILDING SHELTER PROTECTION FROM
COMPONENTS NATURAL ELEMENTS PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
In 1970s, Maslow’s Heirarchy/Triangle of Needs
was expanded and took two more levels:
cognitive and aesthetic.
Cognitive - the need for information.
Aesthetic - the need for beauty.
As human societies progressed, unknown persons
further adapted Maslow’s needs thereby adding
another level: TRANSCENDENCE.
What possible implications do these 8 levels have
on the housing process?
 MASLOW’S HEIRARCHY OF NEEDS + THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT and
USER-REQUIREMENTS
How can I help? TRANSCENDENCE
“My house must reflect my PUBLIC AND IMPROVEMENT OF
principles in sustainable living.” PRIVATE SETTINGS ONE’S SELF SELF
ACTUALIZATION

What do I like? AESTHETIC NEEDS

What do I Know? COGNITIVE NEEDS
“My house must be custom- EXPRESSION OF
IDENTITY; SOURCE OF PRIDE,
designed.” PERSONALIZATION REFLECTION OF SELF- ESTEEM
& AFFILIATION ECONOMIC STANDING
“The community must have a COMMUNITY SENSE OF
clubhouse” SOCIAL NEEDS
SETTING BELONGING;
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
INTERACTION

“The house must be located in a DEFENSIBLE PROTECTION FROM

safe area.” SAFETY
SPACE; VIOLENCE/
TERRITORIALITY LAWLESSNESS

“Any roof above the head will do” BUILDING SHELTER PROTECTION FROM
COMPONENTS NATURAL ELEMENTS PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
Agree or disagree?

“Culture exerts a great influence on the

development of living environments.”
OVERPOPULATION IS ANOTHER CONTRIBUTOR TO HOUSING ISSUES.
TOP TWO GENERAL HICCUPS IN
THE HOUSING PROCESS:

1.) EFFICIENCY/ SATISFACTION

2.) AVAILABILITY
What are Housing Backlogs?
HOUSING BACKLOG
Fact or Fiction?

Housing backlog is a worldwide phenomenon.

UPGRADED FAVELA (SLUM AREA) IN BRAZIL
http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/design_with_the_other_90_cities_opening_october_15_at_the_united_nations/
PUBLIC HOUSING
IN SINGAPORE
TYPE OF FLAT AVERAGE GROSS
MONTHLY
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Buying a 3-room average gross monthly
(mature household income must
towns/estates), 3-room not exceed $10,000
(Premium), 4-room or
bigger flat If buying a flat with
extended family,
average gross monthly
household income must
not exceed $15,000
Buying a standard 3- average gross monthly
room (non-mature household income must
towns/estates) not exceed $5,000.

Buying a 2-room average gross monthly

household income must
not exceed $5,000.

Minimum Salary in SGD: 1,800

 With a myriad of considerations, how can
designers deliver a housing process that leads
towards the housing satisfaction of all users?
 HOUSING IN HONG KONG
REFLECTION PAPER

1. Watch the video uploaded in the VLE format

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7IA8DWt0ZY

2. Read this article:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/22/world/asia
/hong-kong-housing-inequality.html

3. In 350 words, discuss your interpretation of the housing

issues in Hong Kong.
REFERENCES/ADVANCED READINGS

Sayyed Javad Asad Poor Zavei and Mahmud Mohd Jusan, “Exploring Housing Selection
Based on Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs”, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, ASEAN
Conference on Environment-Behavior
Studies, Sarawak, Malaysia 7-8 July 2010

John F. C. Turner and Robert Fichter, “The John Turner Archive: Freedom to Build, Dweller
Control of the Housing Process”, Collier Macmillan, New York, 1972 [Chapter 7]

John F. C. Turner, “Fits and Misfits in Housing”, Freedom to Build, RIBA Journal, No. 2,
February 1974