Exploring territoriality : a study of social housing typology

Abstract

The research is a study of territorialisation of space within a residential context. The study seeks to understand whether the physical elements of an environment affect the production of territory and the resulting socio-spatial consequences on the studied space. The phenomenon is explored through an anthropological perspective, with the intention of understanding how the physical environment influences how inhabitant’s use and treat the space. Throughout discourse, the concept of territoriality has for long been disregarded due to its multitude of definitions, loose meanings and intangible aspects (Minoura, 2016). Mutually, in architectural practice, design considerations which consider territorial behaviour are often overlooked (Lyman & Scott, 1967). The study attempted to give an insight into the concept, how it fits into a person’s everyday life and its relevance to the field of architecture and urban design. Through the study of a number of social housing estates in Malta, the factors of territoriality will be explored. Social housing estates have often been stigmatised, in western countries while also locally (Sammut, 2017). Over the past century, the provision of social housing has greatly evolved, from living quarters offering the bare minimum facilities at the turn of the 20th century, to the contemporary concept of “affordable” housing (Hulchanski, 1995). The local social housing sector does not reflect this transition to more inclusive housing but has instead tended to latch onto traditional social housing provision as prevalent in the UK, until the late 1970s. The spatial and physical definitions of these projects contribute to the stigmatization of these places, leading to social segregation of inhabitants from outsiders (Franck & Mostoller, 1995). This study analyses specific social housing typologies, to understand how different typologies perform through a territoriality perspective. The research aims to test an hypothesis through the formulation of an analytical framework, which is adopted to a series of research methods. Initially informed by the present literature about territoriality and the factors that contribute to the phenomenon, theoretical principles are used to formulate a line of methodological inquiry and an analytical framework for observation. The research design is intended to evaluate three main aspects of the respective cases: the design and intended use; the actual real-life use; and lastly, the residents’ perception of the estate they inhabit. In order to test the hypothesis in the local environment, the research methods are adopted to a number of social housing projects. The selected methods of research entail; an interview with the architect in charge of the studied cases allows for an understanding of the general philosophy and design rationale of the projects. On-site observations will follow, utilizing key indicators established during the formulation of the analytical framework. Lastly, a questionnaire directed towards the residents allows for their perception of the space to be examined.