The Rural Housing Studio

Web publication (2017)

Authors

M.W.M. Smits OLD Methods & Analysis
Research Group
OLD Methods & Analysis
More Info
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Published Date

01-08-2017

Language

English

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Research Group

OLD Methods & Analysis

Abstract

The rural housing studio is a studio dedicated to help underprivileged rural families in developing countries. The targeted communities know what type of housing they would like to live in, however, they are unable to design and engineer them without external help. Regular development aid offers ready built solutions without involving the inhabitants and their communities into the process. The rural housing studio offers internship (BSc) and graduation positions (BSc & MSc) to students, who will advise and inform rural families to build their desired housing together with their community. Ultimately it is suppose to generate self-reliant and resilient communities with improved houses, which do not depend on development aid programs anymore.



The studio is lead by researcher and architect Michiel Smits (PhD candidate) who has been working as a pro bono architect since 2004 in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and has an extensive expertise in helping rural communities.