GIS Business ISSN: 1430-3663 Vol-15-Issue-1-January-2020
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GIS Business ISSN: 1430-3663 Vol-15-Issue-1-January-2020 Towards A Classification Framework For Micro-Homes Typologies: Jordanian Vernacular Homes As A Case Study Mais Radhi Al-Ruwaishedi 1*, A. S. Tazilan2, K. A. Kosman3, and F. M. Sharaf 4 1,2&3 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Malaysia. 2 Institute of Environment and Development (LESTARI), University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Malaysia. 4 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. * Corresponding author: Mais Radhi Al-Ruwaishedi, Email address: [email protected] Abstract: In the last few years, micro-homes have been promoted as a new, affordable, and eco-friendly housing solution to combat the increasing demand on housing industry. This movement has been informed by the global interest in downsizing, de-cluttering, and minimizing. However, the concept of compact living is not new, it began as far back as the 19th century as a counter social, cultural, and economic response to conspicuous consumerism, a desire to live more simply and as a search for freedom and individualism. As a matter of fact, micro-housing has been found historically as a part of the traditional and vernacular housing in many countries. As Jordan one of these countries, it used the environmental and functional characteristics of micro-housing approach to adapt with difficult living circumstances. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the existing micro-homes typologies in Jordan through introducing a classification framework using Jordanian vernacular homes as a case study. Hence, this study investigates empirically selected vernacular homes in Jordan to understand its typological uses. With findings from case studies, it follows a systematic approach in developing a conceptual framework for micro-homes identity as an urban ecosystem to understand its function, structure, materials, and mobility patterns towards sustainable design approach. Keywords: Microarchitecture, Micro-homes, Vernacular homes, Design typologies, Jordan. 1. Introduction Housing is acknowledged as a fundamental human right (Preece, 2019). It effectively impacts life quality, health, and wellbeing; it specifies the transportation demands and often job choices, which affects the structure of the family and network of friendships. Moreover, housing impacts the economy and prosperity of the country (Al Betawi 2013: Barker, 2003). For most people, housing is their lifetime‟s biggest item of consumption and investment (Toscano & Amestoy 2007). Despite its excellent significance to society and people, many housing and supply issues have lately appeared dramatically throughout the world (Preece,2019). A huge rise and restructuring of the world's population has occurred in the last few decades. Many scholars have acknowledged that more than half of the world's population now lives in metropolitan cities and the 21st century is undoubtedly the city's century. (Norngainy et al, 2016, Al Betawi, 2013). In order to combat with the growing urbanization and housing supply problems, attention has shifted toward minimizing, downsizing, and micro-housing, tends towards smaller, multi-used, and shared housing units (Al-Ruwaishedi et al. 2019; Ford & Gomez-Lanier, 2017). Also, due to economic changes and demographic preferences, high demand real estate markets around the world, such as Tokyo, San Francisco, Hong Kong and some European cities have experienced an increasing demand on construction of micro-homes recently (Boeckermann et.al 2018; Shearer and Burton 2018; Ford & Gomez-Lanier, 2017). Micro-homes are smaller than the standard home with optimally utilized floor plans, enabling them to become as efficient as possible for their size. They provide more affordable and eco- friendlier living in central locations in urban cites (Gabbe 2015; Boeckermann et.al 2018; Shearer and Burton 2018). Although micro-homes are considered as a new trend in housing industry, previous studies acknowledged that the historical background of micro-homes can be rooted in many traditional houses around the world. Moreover, in the past, many houses could be identified as micro-homes. Micro-homes in location, identification, and surroundings are a rhetorically remembered unit. The physical characteristics of micro- homes have therefore been constantly transformed over time in terms of location, space, and shape. However, there has been little discussion about micro-homes definition, historical background, and typology P a g e | 452 Copyright ⓒ 2019 Authors GIS Business ISSN: 1430-3663 Vol-15-Issue-1-January-2020 classifications especially in vernacular and traditional homes in developing nations such as Jordan. Accordingly, the fieldwork discussed in this paper has been conducted in Jordan employing Jordanian vernacular homes as a case study. Over the time, Jordan witnessed dramatic changes in its political, social, economic status creating a new cultural environment. In this response, the architecture of Jordan in general and housing in specific changed and largely diversified through history. The rich variety in housing types in this area also happened based on the environmental conditions and people‟s lifestyles. Moreover, this variety is extremely affected by the climate and the availability of construction materials, in addition to building expertise and skills. Hence, Jordanian vernacular homes are considered as a rich housing environment to investigate micro-homes typologies. Therefore, this study attempts to identify micro-homes typologies through developing a conceptual classification framework using Jordanian vernacular homes as a case study. Which in turn helps in providing a better understanding of micro-homes functionality, physical aspect, and status-scape patterns. 2. Literature Review Small architecture, also known as microarchitecture, has helped in improving the daily life of humans. Tazilan (2012) noted that microarchitecture emerges into our life as a “supporting unit” through countless forms, features, types and designs and helps to finish our everyday rituals. Tazilan and Mohd Nor (2011) stated that microarchitecture (MCR) are considered as small projects that could solve many problems innovatively. MCR is an expression used to define the organization of resources in relation to design, development, and growth in a particular setting. The word's origin is rather perplexing. However, various scholars have accorded the term to mean small-scale, portable and mobile architecture (Tazilan & Mohd Nor 2011; Echavarria, 2005). Dakhia and Berezowska (2010) reflect on the functional element of the community in MCR's macro- or micro-perspective as part of the urban ecosystem of today's natural living community. As a result, MCR is generally recognized as a sequence of small built environmental structures that exist in various modes; such as residences, follies, retail kiosks, urban amenities and sign marks, these structures may be portable or fixed in their locations. As mentioned before, micro-homes are considered as a part of small scale built environmental structures (MCR). As a matter of fact, many scholars referred to micro- homes with many other terms such as; micro-compact units, micro units, tiny homes and micro apartments. The size of a micro-homes can vary a lot between cities and counties. Iglesias (2014) acknowledged that the average size of housing in a city corresponds with the typical size of a micro-homes, meaning that cities with larger homes tend to have larger micro-homes. Mitchell (2014) noted that the size of micro-homes could also be described as cultural standards rather than absolute, for example, micro-homes in the United States would probably be bigger than the micro-homes in Hong Kong or Germany. However, Tazilan (2012) acknowledged that micro-homes are considered as small built environment structures with a size less than 36 square meters. While Shearer and Burton (2018) stated that the sizes of tiny houses are considered between 20 square meters and 70 square meters. This was in constant with the findings of Boeckermann et. al (2018) which considered the size of tiny houses to be around 60 square meters. Whilst, Amitage et. al (2017) acknowledged that small houses sizes are consider under 93 square meters. However, research to date has not yet determined a clear classification or definition about micro-homes sizes. Nonetheless, there are some common features that characterize, not all, but most micro-homes, Shearer and Burton (2018) acknowledged that size is an important but not the only characteristic of micro-homes; pertinently, the definition should include other criteria, such as design, mobility, and environmentally sustainable focus. In all the studies reviewed here, micro-homes are recognized as any residential structure, foundation built or on wheels, with complete utility equipment (water, electric, and sewer) and living equipment (bed, kitchen, bath, and commode) designed for full time or part time occupancy that accommodates with less area possible. 2.1 Microarchitecture and micro-homes typologies classification frameworks. In particular, the classification is important in detailing the physical characteristics of architecture such as functions, figures and various personalities in establishing a particular cultural identity. The term typology means a study on types such as; models, kinds, categories, etc., or about the relationship between types as well as the nature