Abstract
The thesis aims to develop a new design methodology for housing projects of the future, where homes are flexible and adaptive to the occupants’ needs at different phases of their lives. The generic system will allow for the expansion and contraction of housing units to provide for a wide range of living options in the housing block, catering to the different and changing needs of the residents. Current housing models usually take on a ‘cookie cutter’ approach, where standard unit designs are repeatedly stacked to form a tower, and they often lack the flexibility and personalization for the respective demographics in the housing market, apart from nuclear families. The thesis pushes for future housing models to take on a livelier and more dynamic design approach, where the liberty to customize one’s home provides for both the user’s needs, as well as the overall expression of the housing block. The intention of designing a flexible habitation system is also to extend the overall life span of housing projects, allowing it to stay relevant to its users over an extended period. This is also in hopes to reduce the need for frequent building demolition and reconstruction, reducing the environmental impact caused by the built industry in the long run. Furthermore, this housing strategy will also tackle the issue of affordability, by allowing people to purchase for just the right amount of space their budget can afford. As the household financial circumstance changes over time, they can then subsequently opt to expand or contract their unit accordingly, without having to look for an alternative flat. This allows more financial flexibility for the residents and reduces their financial load on owning a property.