Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 193
AThe Internal Layout Design of Social Housing in Libya: A Cultural Value Perspective
Harnida M. Aburounia AI-Fatah University, Tripoli, Libya
Abstract Social housing is a basic human need and essential for the future of individuals and society. An appropriate housing internal layout plays a crucial role in the sustainable urban development. Enhancing societal cultural heritage in the built environment benefits and helps raising cultural sensitivity and awareness that enriches the society. Cultural sustainability retlects the ideas of how to accommodate local cultural values with modem means. This challenge is more important than ever in an era of globalisation, where there is a tendency for local culture to be eroded by a homogenous international culture, as a researcher is a committed Muslim and Libyan, and passionately believes that the values and norms intrinsic to these should be retlected in housing internal layout design. Therefore, in this paper the internailayout design of social housing unit has been chosen to focus upon lslamic culture by providing insights from the Qur'an and the Hadith, The question here is what are the cultural values from Islamic tenets relevant to social housing internal layout? The question was investigated and developed through a single case study. Serni-structure interviews were used to explore a variety of key actor perspectives on the 2870 social housing units' project in Tripoli. The results revealed three different perspectives: the needs, tlexibility, functionality, and adoptability of private areas, semi-private areas, and semi-public areas in housing units were satisfactorily created in response to the lifestyle, religious activities, sodal occasions, family structure and family privacy from the local design teams and users' perspective. The preference of public areas was insufficiently identified in response to the family privacy from the users' perspective. Regarding the 'expectations' element, the end users usually prefer if there is more space in order to satisfy the continuous growth of family members' numbers to meet the typical family needs and lifestyle.
Keywords: cultural values, family structure, lifestyle, social housing 194 Hamida M. Aburounia
1 Introduction
Sustainable development theory started in emphasising that the nature of 'strong sustainability' that 'environmental dimension', 'eeonomie dimension', 'social dimension' and 'eultural dimension' should not be separated from one another; rather they should be understood within the holistic framework of sustainable deveIopment. This view was found to be adequate in that it was noted that these standards have a signifieant effeet on design process of social housing. Design sehools also eonsider issues sueh as user needs; lifestyle, eustoms and affordability, and professional needs; sueh as material soureing, resouree eonsumption, loeation, aceess, building life, waste and biodiversity. Thus, the fundamental goal of sustainable development in the built environment is to protect and improve the quality of life whieh embodies in an aspiration to build a high quality and a high design funetionality wh ich is future proofed. Yet, this researeh builds upon the proposition that loeal eultural values are one of the principles underpinning sustainable development-with people and their quality of life being eonsidered as a eentral issue. Sustainable development in the built environment needs to refleet lifestyle and religious values to eonserve valuable euItural eapital. Learning from eultural and historical heritage is an important eomponent in understanding and aeeepting how to live in the present and the future. In this paper the internailayout design of social housing has been chosen to foeus upon Islamie culture by providing insights from the Qur'an and the Hadith for two reasons. (1) Islam is the dominant religion in Libya and is the largest growing religion in the world. (2) Beeause earlier research on housing internal layout design has eonsistently made two conclusions: first, traditional housing design for Muslims is signifieantly affected by loeal eultural values and Islamie prineiples; and, second, modem housing design did not appropriately consider these loeal eultural values. This eonflict articulated in the literature, however, does not go on to provide an adequate explanation of its eauses, and what eonstitutes appropriate internailayout design from an Islamie perspeetive.
2 Where did Previous Conclusion Come From
The social housing literature stresses that the laek of skilIed professionals led the Libyan government to bring overseas experts from different eountries. These professionals eame from different eultures and held various eultural values. Thus, the resultant layout and design of housing units did not sufficiently reeognise the elements of loeal eulture and, therefore, failed to satisfaetory meet user' needs (Azlitini, 2005). During the review of the literature, there were several factors and pressures that led the Libyan govemment to adopt the earlier strategy for social housing were as folIows: First of all, in 1969, Libya was suffering from a laek of housing and basie faeilities. Housing eonditions were very poor. Some Libyans were living in hovels or rough huts made of steel or wood. Forty-five pereent of the Libyan families lived in very poor habitation at that time (NAID, 1995: 90). Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 195
Therefore, the main objective of social economic development in the past related to social housing sector was to improve the standard of living of Libyan people (Five Years Plan for Housing, 2005), particularly those on low income who did not benefit from the economic prosperity phase (Awotona, 1990). Second, in 1970, the Libyan government has been traditionally responsible for providing and subsidising housing projects for all citizens, as weIl as providing real-estate loans through the method of banking loans programs (HCM, 1980). This type of responsibility developed in response to the adopted political system in Libya. In 1970s the former Revolutionary Command Council issued a law that all sectors such as housing, education, health, communications, financial services and economy were to be centralised. In addition, the second part of the Green Book 'Solution of Economy' articulates that a house is an essential need for both the individual and the society and no one has the right to acquire a house in addition to hislher own housing and hislher beneficiaries for the purpose of renting it. Every occupier that lives in a house was considered the real owner of it. The new system was required with respect to the ownership of the housing (AI-Gaddafi, 1976). Real owners including investors and contractors or developers found problem in collecting rent or even to claim their properties. This situation had caused distrust between the owners and the occupiers, therefore, the contractors and investors have avoided contributing in housing development. The Libyan govemment is being the sole provider of social housing projects. Third, the high rapid population growth was the main pressure to provide a quantity of housing units. The population increased rapidly with average annual growth rate ranging from 2 percent to 3 percent to double in less than 15 years, 2.5 percent from natural increase and 0.3 percent from immigration. Furthermore, the population is concentrated in northem Libya, particularly along the coastal strip of Tripoli and Benghazi, which contains over 62 percent of the total population in 1980 (Antipolis, 2002). This factor has created a significant pressure on housing demand and has led to the inability of the citizens (especially those with limited incomes,) to attain housing or to get even an apartment to live in with dignity. Finally, since 1970 Libya has been economically stable because of oil revenues, which has made it possible to face such pressures by adopting the proposal to build 277, 500 social housing units; the sum of $ 400 million was allocated to build 20, 000 social housing units per year between 1970 and 1985 However, this project was hampered by the shortage of local technical and skilled labour. There were only 12 architects and 10 engineers in the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Public Works had only 20 architects and 19 engineers (Awotona, 1990). This situation forced the Libyan government to bring foreign experts from France, UK, Germany, Spain, ltaly, Turkey and Cuba. In summary, it is seen that past social housing units has not responded to the Libyans needs (as shown in Figure I). 196 Hamida M. Aburounia
Figure 1: Previous social housing units in Iripoli city [Source by Researcher, 2006]
Therefore, many secretariats and public institutions started studying the housing requirements and determining statistical indicators conceming the country needs of social housing units. Ihis situation led the Libyan govemment to adopt a new social housing program for elevating the social housing standard and for replacing the old social housing units with new units. The proposal initially started with a program called 60, 000 social housing units project. This is the case study for this research paper. This paper proposes also that the previous social housing development was driven economically and that the layout and design of the earlier social housing units did not consider the local cultural values ofthe Libyan society.
3 Social Housing Design
Social housing is taken to mean housing provided and managed by local authorities, commonly called council or public housing (Harriott et al., 2004). The form and role of sodal housing is defined by (Ibid, 2006:1) as: "Social housing prornotes improved quality of life and the integration of communities by providing affordable, high standard, subsidised housing with the added benefit of regenerating the area where the housing stock is loeated. The proeess is managed by viable and sustainable, independent institutions, which eneourage the participation of residents in managing their own communities. Soeial Housing is aimed at low-to-middle ineome families. It ean eomprise a variety of forms of house, exeluding immediate individual ownership." The essential eharaeteristie of soeial housing is that it is provided by govemment institutions whieh do not exist to make profit from their owners in the way that a eompany in the private see tor would aim to do. The role of social housing is to help households with problems in gaining access to decent housing and to provide housing to respond to general society needs. Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 197
Social housing as a place of living emerged from the appropriateness of 'spatial formations'. Flexibility, accessibility and adaptabiJity are critical if spaces are to be used for a range of purposes and are needed to response to the 'preferences', 'needs', 'expectations', and 'privacy' requirements ofthe typical family lifestyle (Rapoport, 2001 and Hadjiyanni, 2003). HA TC Limited, (2006) cIaimed that space values for housing are not only affected by functional needs but also by users' norms and users' character. Users are educated by cultural knowledge (Turgut, 2001), so he/she shapes the house through acting within cultural constraints, because culture does not shape the house in a direct mann er. Different users have different values and that major differences in values distinguish different communities (Rapoport, 2001). These communities, therefore, contrast in such aspects as dress, language, eating, and lifestyle. The synergy between new housing projects and the local environment tends to be developed, and beg ins with an acknowledgment of local culture and values. Nevertheless, this does not imply that all modem houses should precisely replicate the old traditional culture, because each culture has its methods for dealing with the evolution of social traditions over time (Svensson and Wood, 2003). Societies, for example, are changing their cultural values towards 'quality of Iife' issues (Sexton, 2000). In general, appropriate social housing internal layout design aims at simplicity and convenience, taking into account the main activities likely to occur in each space over the normal family lifecycIe. The housing design has traditionally been the most typical product of expressing local cultural identity (Cooper, 2003 and Jabareen, 2005). Thus, social housing needs to be seen as a harmonious process, rather than just a meaningless product without context. There is a need to look not only at the physical side of the social housing, but also to consider the design to which reflects and progresses cultural capital and values. Therefore, the sustainability of sodal housing design from cultural values perspective is seen as following: "Appropriate social housing internal layout must explicitly accommodate local culturaJ values. For this to occur there must be accurate sustainable development indicators for cultural values which mobilise the motivation of actors' decision making process." Therefore, this research raises fundamental question of what are cultural values in Libya being considered and integrated in new social housing development with respect to internailayout design.
4 Shariah Take PIace on Value Culture
The linkage between domestic culture and high value housing layout has commonly been accepted as an interdisciplinary specific cultural study. Eldemery, (2002:2) defined culture as: Ha value that bridges the gap, where the historical principles opened between the past and the present by creating new communities which are faithful to the traditions in creating an modern environment which encourages the inspiration of the inherited cultural heritage." However, the concept of culture is too broad and cultural capital is not a single object but it is a concept which refers to countless aspects of life (Rapoport, 198 Hamida M. Aburounia
2001). Holden, (2004:18-19) has shown concern that the fundamental way to value the contribution of culture to social economic development is not being adequately recognised: "{ know that culture make a contribution 10 strong communities, to the nation's weil being, but I do not know how to evaluate it or describe it Wehave to find a language and a way of describing its worth. It is the only way we weil secure the greater support we need." Nevertheless, cultural capital concept covers two general aspects; intangible and tangible forms. The former consists of two perspectives. The first aspect is aesthetic or artistic perspectives such as art, customs, lifestyle, music, songs, dances, ceremonies, food, clothing, colour, popular culture and the performing arts (Jabareen, 2005 and Mohammed and Amato, 2006). The second aspect refers to the ideological perspective which includes the development of knowledge; spiritual values; and aspects ofbelief and religion. In the literature of anthropology and material culture, two perspectives are known as cultural values. In tangible form, cultural capital may exist as buildings, locations, artworks and artefacts (Throsby, 2005). This paper research will not deal with the cultural concept at that level of generality, rather it will investigate cultural va lues specific to internal housing layout design. The cultural values are disaggregated as lifestyle: the way of socialising within family structure and social structures, social and religious activities and family structure. Lifestyle is one of the most useful criterions for defining communities. Rapoport, (2001) and Chiu, (2004) articulated that the way of socialising within family structures or within a social structure is the most specific expression of the lifestyle in any society. Such a view emphasises the following declaration on culture by UNESCO, (2002) which noted: "culture should be regarded as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional features of society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs." Islam has paid attention to lifestyle since the i h century. Islam represents an entire sense of a society and a way of living. It defines a guidance framework for actions in al1 spheres of Muslims' life (Aburounia and Sexton, 2004). There are over 500 verses in the Qur'an giving Muslims guidance on issues related environmental, economic and social matters, and there are several examples from the Prophet Muhammad's life (Peace Be Upon Him-PBUH) and his sayings, which provide a model for justice and equity through collective participation in all spheres of life. Eldemery, (2002) claimed that Islam affected lifestyles in Muslim communities. The family privacy concept, for instance, is a key factor that expresses the way of socialising in a Muslim community (AI-Aali, 2006:4). Figure 2 presents the meaning of the family privacy concept and the value of space in a house for Muslims. Tbe hierarchy of the house, together with its surrounding, conveys the family privacy concept. The terms 'private' area and 'semi-private' area of the inner house are where the household feel most comfortable and are classified for inner family and female visitors, whilst the male visitor has no access to these areas. Tbe 'semi-pubIic' area of the house Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 199 commonly is restricted to male visitors. The outside ofthe house 'public' area is connected to the immediate neighbourhood. •
Pubhc • Nelghbouf'll
Figure 2: Nested approach explaining the relationship between family privacy concept and space value in a Muslim house. Adopted from www.catnaps.org/islamicdesign
Traditional ideas about family privacy still pers ist in Islamic families. Chua, (1988) and Abd-Ulac, (1982) stated the persistence of traditions that a Muslim woman is not allowed to share conversations and meals with male guests, and has to be hidden from male visitors and guests in her house. They also asserted that the consideration of space for family privacy is valued since Islamic rules are strict in this argued. In this sense, Abd-Arrahman (2004) affirmed that if a woman's husband is not present when his guests arrive, she should not serve them. However, if her husband is present and the guests are known friends, relatives and weil wishers, the wife may come forward to serve them with food and drink provided that she is properly dressed and her manners, movements and methods of taking are such that they are not likely to encourage evil in them or arouse their passions and thereby become a source of fitnah (mischiet). However, this research paper argues that there is no explicit consideration in the Qur'an about the seclusion or segregation ofthe male visitors and female visitors in a house and there is no definite obligation actions in Islam conceming the spatial location of the male and female in the house excepting the following verse that gave advice to the earlier believers when they inter to the Prophet Muhammad's house. The Qur'an says: "0 you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, unless permission is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meal, disperse without sitting for a talk. Verily, such (behaviour) annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of (asking) you (to go); but Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen: that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts." (AI-Ahzab (33), Verse: 53). However, it might be important to this debate to clarify that Islamic Shariah established the ethical principle foundation that the traditions (Sunnh) from the 200 Hamida M. Aburounia life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), handed down from generation to generation are considered as a model which has to be followed by Muslims. Returning back to lifestyle discussion, the family strueture is a key element in relating culture to housing. Changes in housing design and uses of space are related to changes in the nature of the family strueture (Lea and Connell, 2002). In Islamic society, family structure is based on the Qur'anie regulations and the traditions from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The family is seen as being the cornerstone of human society, and providing asecure, strong horne for parents and children. Thc lslamic Shariah demands cohesive interpersonal relationships among family members and the promotion of strong support among relatives. Grandparents and grandchildren are considered as equal family members and all kinds of psyehological, social and economical support are expected to be given to all members of the family-partieularly in times of need (Dhami and Sheikh, 2000). Accordingly, family structure can be defined as an extended family .- a three-generation family consisting of a father and mother, married sons, their wives and their children who all live under one roof (Elliott and Gray, 2000). The extended type of family structure is strongly recognisable in Muslim communities. The support of parents toward their children and the reeiprocal duty and responsibility of children to look after and support their parents in old age still exists in the Muslim family (Nasseir, 2003). The Qur'an explieates the reason of directing children to look after their parents in old age. The Qur'an says: "And Wc havc cnjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore hirn in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination." (Luqman (31), Verse: 14). In Muslim culture, respect and value of individuals increase with his or her age. Elderly parents, for example, are respected on aceount of their life experiences and their hierarchie position within the family unit. The Qur'an says: "And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young." (Al Isra (17), Verse: 24). However, the Islamic Shariah indicate certain requirements for the Muslim's behaviour inside his or her family. The Qur'an says: "And when the ehildren among you eome to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to them (in age). Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat (Commandments and legal obligations) for you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All Wise." (An-Nur (24), Verse: 59). In this verse, the Qur'an says eoneerning the built environment is about respeeting family privaey. In other word, the Qur'an asked a Muslim to seek permission to enter others private area and secluded domain. It has been aeknowledged that values, norms and adviee of Shariah have an impact on all aspeets of the Islamie eommunity. However, evaluating social housing internal layout design from a eultural perspcetive is likely to be the eomplex, partieularly in a soeiety where religion is fundamental to the way of life. But as long there is an appropriate relationship betwcen housing and loeal Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 201 traditions, the appropriate design will find a way to produce a healthy environment that the community can identify with.
5 Case Study
5.1 The 60,000 social housing units program
In the 1990s, a budget of approximately $ 6.8 billion was allocated to a new social housing development (Zander, 2006) in response to the estimation that Libya needed about 450, 000 new sodal housing units over the next ten years (Ejehaimi, 2006), at a rate 50, 000 sodal housing units per year (Five Years Plan for Housing, 2005). The program began with the 60, 000 social housing units' projecL The construction period extended from 01/01/1996 up to date. The 60,000 social housing units program was developed in response to the National Report on Human Development (herein NRHD, 1995) which reported that the Shaabiah of Tripoli and Benghazi have the greatest number of famiIies living in poor conditions 30, 891 families or around 26 percent out ofthe total of 120,621 families in Tripoli city, followed by Benghazi city, where 13, 000 families or around 11 percent, living in such conditions. The same report confirmed that the average Libyan family of six members lived in a three - room housing unit. The General Popular Committee for Housing and Utilities (herein GPCHU) provided a proposal which inc1uded the model project for social housing throughout Libya. This proposal was approved in the 9th ordinary meeting to the General Public Committees in 1995 (GHAR, 2005). This meeting had approved this proposal and had given the permission to the GPCHU to carry out the procedures of implementing the 60, 000 social housing units' project. The role of the GPCHU was to provide the proper method to implement the social housing projects and achieve the required number of housing annually, as needed all over the country in proportion with the population requirement. The main aim of proposing the 60,000 social housing units' project was to consider the needs of Libyan Arab families of all c1asses and formations (smaJl family, new married families and big families). Therefore, the local design team made different patterns in each area. The 60,000 social housing units project consist of three types of design type (F) small housing unit, the key has been handed in to the citizen lately. This housing type was designed for small families who have not the means to buy medium sized social houses. lts area ranged from 100 m2 (990 ft .sq) to 120 m2 (1188 ft .5q); Type (B l) medium housing unit, the key has been handed in to the citizen lately. It5 area ranged more than 130 m2 (1287 ft .5q) up to 150 m2 (1485 ft .sq) and Type (A) large housing unit. The latter i5 still under construction. Its area ranged from 150 m2 up to 180 m2 per flat and 200 for the separated housing units. The General Public Committee issued decision (No. 272/2000) regarding the establishment of the Local Housing Authority (herein LHA). The Shaabia of Tripoli city became a fundamental planning unit. Hence, the lO, 000 social housing units' proposal put forward to be implemented in Tripoli city. This 202 Hamida M. Aburounia
decision has developed in response to the obstacles that faced the 60, 000 housing units' project for five years from 1996 to 2001 (GHAR, 2005). The LHA of Tripoli city determined to resolve some problems and obstacles and made proposals to solve the housing problems with the contribution of all networks of actors, e.g. companies, firms, banks, citizens. The proposed construction period for this project extended from 01/01/200 I until 30112/2004 (Investment for Housing Program, 2005). Yet, the LHA ofTripoli city could not complete the proposed number by depending on local construction contracting capacity. Therefore in 2/9/2001, the LHA signed economic agreements and joint cooperation between Libya and Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Italy and Yugoslavia. These agreements were to employ trained and specialised labour and to import building materials from those countries in order to make available necessary and required quantities of building materials and labour. In five years, from 2001 to 2006, the LHA of Tripoli city has managed to build 2870 social housing units only. The 2870 housing units have been built by the Arab Union Contracting Company (Figure 3 shows the sign ofthe location); The Arab Union Contracting Company (herein AUCC) is state-owned and was the only company that obtained the tender 10 build the 2870 social housing units' project throughout Tripoli city.
Figure 3: The _ location of the 2870 social housing unit's project in Alhadbah Alkhadra Road in Tripoli city [Source by Researcher, 2006]
6 Summary of Research Results
It was evident that the earlier social housing development had a long history with foreign companies because of the lack of local skilled professionals and this considered as a substantial shortcoming of earlier social housing development. The result emphasised that the overseas experts with their different cultures, had played a major role in shaping the modern Libyan built environment. New ideas of design which they brought were often applied without first adequately understanding and accommodating local collective experiences and cultural values. The resultant design inadequately recognised the elements of local Sustainable Arehiteeture and Urban Development 203
eultural values and poorly adapted to its partieular needs and henee failed to satisfaetory meet people's needs. It was found that a number ofkey lessons have been leamed: the Libyan govemment appreciated the importance of some of the missing elements in the internal layout and design of earlier soeial housing development. The aeeeptanee of loeal traditions was the major goal of a new proposal. This appreeiation was eostly! Different seeretariats and publie institutions started studying the housing requirements and determining statistieal indicators eoneerning the eountry needs of housing for the replaeement of the old ones with new housing units. Social housing sector was therefore needful to reflect the learned lessons eoncerning social housing layout design in this projeet. However, the praetice of designing social housing units by the loeal actors was relatively new. lt was evident that, the layout design priorities have to be developed in the light of the realities of loeal eultural environment; instead of; for example, using ready borrowed patterns from other traditions whose context is entire1y different and cannot assurne to know the local cultural ideas. The research findings revealed that the loeal ac tors do have a certain degree of awareness and responsibility for assimilating eulturaJ vaJues into internal housing layout design. lt was found that the integration of cultural values in the internal design ofsodal housing units was a key pressure. The research findings noted that the new sodal housing units' project in Tripoli city generally responded to the needs of its users. It has to be articulated that the project provided an internal environment in which user can live harmoniously with their cultural and norms and values. The research outcome confirmed that there were number of components that make up the cultural values such as the lifestyle which is affected by the concept of family privacy which in turn reflected in: (a) the way of socialising within inner family structure, family aetivities, religious praetices; (b) the way of socialising within extended family structure (guest segregation, number of guests); (e) the way of socialising within social structure (family oceasions, guest segregation, number of guests); and, (d) family strueture wh ich consists of grandparents, parents and children. Spaces for them were eonsidered. It indicates that the main indicator is considered in this design is the way of soeialising within inner family structure and social structure. Indeed, the research findings indicate the dominate role of gender segregation, inner family activities, religious practice and social occasions. It was found that the private area was designed and classified around inner family use. Tbe semi-private area was for inner family activities (e.g. traditional way of cooking and eating (sitting on the floor); and religious practice (e.g. the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) birthday and praying five times a day) and female visitors. The semi-public area was restricted to male visitors' use. The public area (in this project is a hall in each block of flat is considered as public areal was used for sodal occasions (e.g. wedding occasion or sadness occasions) and religious practiees (e.g. Eid Aladhah), and balconies were used for daylight to allow the sunlight in the rooms or kitchen, air flow, drying clothes and even for drying meet in Eid Aladhah. The organisation of the housing units to respond to the Iocal eultural values is summarised in Table I. 204 Hamida M. Aburounia
Table 1: Housing layout, space organization as an answer to cultural values
Value ofspace Space Function Cultural values
Private Bedmom Sieeping Parents mom Private Bedroom Girl room Private Bedroom Boy room
Semi-private Livingroom Everyday use, Resting; Religious practice; eating on the ! praying floor, family occasion ~' Semi-public Reception Hosting Segregation guest, care of the moms lderlv parents IS=i-pnvate I Kitchen Cooking, dish; and food I ~abits offood cooking washing Public Balcony Daylight, drying A voiding peering clothes, drying meet Semi-private Toilet Services room Guests use
Private Bathroom Services room Family use Semi-private Storage room Storing Habits of goods consumption I , Semi- public Hall Pcople capacity Sodal n, ,n, I 7 Implications for Sustainable Theory
It is become understandable that sustainable development in the built environment associated with seeking a compromise between environmental protection and sodal benefit. The challenge that faces relevant social networks of actors is how environmental protection, economic growth, sodal equity and cultural value can be integrated and sustained within this theory. The combination and the integration of four capitals in social housing projects will maximise the quality of social housing developments. The concentration on one or two pillars of sustainable development creates the foundation of the debate around weak and strong sustainabiJity. The integration between the pillars of sustainable development is a significant approach to moving away from taking economic drivers as initial responses. Addressing cultural dimension, social dimension, environmental dimension and economic dimension together is a tool for achieving sustainable development and it is essential if effective social housing policy is to be implemented in Libya. This paper argues that the evaluation of social housing development from partly a cultural and economic perspective is not sufficient to create sustainable in social housing projects in Libya. This is resulting in a 'weak sustainability' position where only economic dimension and cultural dimension are being taken into consideration. This myopie view is ignoring, to a significant degree, the development and integration of social dimension and environmental dimension for social housing. With the advantages of the research findings, it was evident that this proposition was Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 205
considered as one of the research !imitations - there is a strong need to eonsider soeial and environmental perspectives as weiL This argument is discussed in the following sections. Economic dimension: The research findings revealed that the elements that make a 'deeent' house to middle-income and low-income groups was the main concern to the GPCH U. Despite the increasing in spending on sodal housing projects as a result of the inflation between 1980 and 1990, with increasing the demand, the GPCHU has played a significant role in land subsidy, importing building materials granting, loans and interest subsidy. The variability of building materials costs during the construction process led the government to subsidies these materials. However, the existing funding mechanism for social housing is insufficiently supported and enhanced delivery due to. The GPCHU also played a considerable role to eneouraging housing associations to adopt local supplies, local labours. All these aspects and other innovative solutions to inerease affordability were taken into account in this project. Cultural dimension: Sustainable development in the built environment draws attention to the importance of integrating local cultural values in housing layout design. This view of sustainable development is found to be adequate in that it was noted that these standards have a substantial effect on internal design process of sodal housing. The result concluded that the incorporation of cultural values in the internal design of sodal housing unit was the main eoncern to local designer as shown in Figure 4. Space requirements and room sizes were mainly determined by the proposed use for individual rooms and spaces. An adequate spaee was provided as following: • private area (bedrooms) was clearly defined relative to other semi-private and semi-public spaces; • semi-private spaces (living room) for inner family gatherings, including family visitors, family occasions was adequately distinctive; • semi-public spaces (reception room) for visitors was adequately considered; • the living room was adjusted to the kitchen; • the kitchen's size and storage room was made to facilitate the expected activities; • the bathroom was made to facilitate hygienic and other services; • balcony was appropriate for drying clothes and other activities; and, • circulations within the house was made to be provided a convenient route from the main access point to eaeh of the main areas within the house. 206 Hamida M. Aburounia
s.m,:_ "'-..,
F'1iwtB ..... s.."".pti..... "..... --. t"'"'t_
EnllY·~ ,-_.
Figure 4: An example of internal layout design of social housing unit in the 2870 social housing units' project
The research findings however, exposed a number of !imitations which need to be addressed in this project. In particular, the external layout and design of this project from a social dimension and an environmental dimension point view. This is the subject of next subsections. Sodal dimension: lt was evident that the new social housing project was built for families. However, it was designed with no play areas for children or public spaces for residents' leisure and activities. Car parking areas, and wheeichair users for disabled residents was badly integrated, poorly light areas, baIconies overlooking a neighbour's baIconies or windows as shown in Figure 5. The connections to public transport or other facilities such as shops, schools or, health centres, and places for worshipping such as mosques were extremely Iimited.
Figure 5: WheeIchair rout for disabled residents, car park and redesigned baIconies in new social housing unit's project in Souqe AItolata Alqaddem in Tripoli city, types (F) and (B1) [Source by Researcher, 2006]
Environmental dimension: The research findings exposed that, the scheme of the function of drainage patterns were very limited; the landscaping and vegetation was extremely poor; the most planting of trees and vegetations have been created by the residents' efforts; the poor choice of windows materials has Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 207
led the owner to use more eriergy to cool the house in the summer and to warm it in the winter; and, the disposals ofland were still in the site (see Figure 6),
Figure 6: New social housing unit's project in Omar Almokhtar Road, Tripoli city, type (A) [Source by Researcher, 2006]
To reiterate, sustainable housing design concept in this study is used to describe the application of sustainable development concept in the built environment which aims at the creation life quality by responsible management of a healthy built environment based cultural realm. With the advantages of the research findings, it was evident that this concept is not sufficient - there is a strong need to explidtly consider sodal dimension and environmental dimension. So, one of the key implications of this research is the need to revise the sustainable development theories and relevant indicators to the social housing development to explicitly accommodate environmental impact, economic benefits, local cultural values and social conditions which influence the overall urban appearance of social housing. The research findings therefore draw attention to not only 'cultural dimensions' but also 'sodal dimension', and 'environmental dimension'.
8 Implications for Policy
This section contains the main implications of the study for policy. The discussion has revealed that there was sufficient deferring in the consideration of the environmental dimension and the sodal dimension. This exposes a number of issues need to be considered in the future social housing development strategy in Libya by decision-makers. Lt was found for example that: (I) the lack of communication and coordination between all social networks of actors; (2) the lack of public funding supply; and, private funding; (3) limited urban land; (4) lack of local building materials; (5) the confliction between the town planner's recommendations and the contractor; and, (6) the lack of trust between the Local Housing Authority and the user created the slowness and instability of the decision making process. It was found also that the occupiers' satistled with: (a) the opportunities for participation in decision making; (b) the quality design of their houses; and (c) their aspirations related choosing or buying their housing 208 Hamida M. Aburounia
units were insufficiently identified. Beside the limitations that stated above, these perceptions were the major boundaries and shortcomings of the 2870 social housing units' projecL The policy makers should be familiar with these significant boundaries and should make plan to avoid such limitations in future social housing projects. Table 2 presents that the combination between the social, environmental, economic and cultural capitals is adequate actions that will help to success social housing developments process in Libya.
Table 2: Sustainability of social housing development, policy implications
! Goals
~ Cultural i • Improve sodal housing design • Carry out human development policy standards hy including loeal cultuml aimed at educating, training citizens to nornlS and values. elevate the highly conscious concerning proteetion of the beau ty heritage. • Conduct poliey to combine the modern design and strength the • Provide citizens an open access to adoption of cu ltural heritage. international cultures, and encourage the eombination between international cultures and national cultural heritage.
Sodal • Promote opportunities to improve • Require, as part ofurban planning, the ! i housing conditions, support and creation of spaces necessary for healthy , promote the infrastructure development living, such as jogging pathways, for housing. bicycle lanes, open green beilS, squares and parks. • Provide the environment required for ensuring education for all citizens. • Slrengthen the education, enhance the competitiveness capacity ofeducational • Increase the number ofcitizen in the institutions. apply research decision-making process at all levels. achievements to the loeal housing • Improve the social housing design far authority, and reward innovation in all types ofgroups ofthe socicty. sustainable development. • Reactivate the role ofthe participation ofeach citizen, women and family in decision-making, as part ofthe political system in Libya.
• Provide adequute infonnation to the loeal housing authority fTom the sodal netwarks of actors' perspeetive by ..__.. using appropriate assessment methods . Economic • Develop legal economie framework to • Alloeate consisted portion of public provide a better life quality. and private finaneial assistunce for funding sodal housing programs. • Considerably rcduce unemployment; • Implement an integrated social and • Implement policies aimed at inerease economic poliey aimed at construction offoreign and domestic investment. • Social housing by promoting greater • Strengthen the aetions to provide use ofloeal emp\oyees and loeal social housing to people by introducing labours. long-tenn loans and mortgages. • Support the combination betwecn I nationally and intemationally aceepted Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 209
rules, procedures and standards proven to bc efficient in order to create a stable legal economic for foreign and domestic investors.
• Enhance the compelitiveness between public seelor and private seelor to decrease the amoun! of interests and increase the amount of loans in social housingprojects.
Environmental • Implement natural-oriented social and • Encourage socio-economic activities economic policies. that are in harmony with nature conduet appropriate housing poliey: provide • Develop natural proteetion poliey, eleetricity, safe drinking water and sustainable use and reeonverting of sanitation to every household. natural resources. • Improve the living setting, preserve Strengthen the rights and existing trees and vegetations, air and responsibilities oflocal authorities water quality, and reduce the Boil regarding environmental proteelion. pollution in cities.
• Develop a legal framework to prevent • Promote and reactivate the traditional damage caused by economic activities know ledge based Islamic tenets to the to the nature. protection ofnature and incorporate • Follow knowledge-based low resource these in environmental management consuming, simple tcchnologieally poliey. innovative and economically model for • Develop an environmental monitoring sodal housing. and assessment framework and carry out measures for protection ofnatural rcsourccs.
Provide high education and support D&R towards environmental proteetion .
9 Conclusion
This research paper adopts the argument that social housing development which is not adequately developed within the prevailing local context will not respect and reflect this context. The appropriate consideration of local culture is an essential requirement to avoid negative consequences. This is interpreted in this research that culture is inseparable ftom the domestic environment and it certainly has a role to play in the sustainability of housing design. It was evident that the above interpretation played a broad role in new sodal housing layout design in Libya. lt was confirmed that there was recognition and acceptance of local traditions in the 2870 social housing units' project in Tripoli city. Further, the traditional concepts about family privacy, family structure and religious activities still persist in this society. The research findings confirmed the inspiration of local actors to incorporate local cultural values in a social housing layout design process and that they played a major role in the design of the new social housing units, and also terminated that an appropriate internal layout and 210 Hamida M. Aburounia design of social housing units that accommodates diverse user's activities and needs can be occupied for longer periods of time and can minimise environmentally and financially cost. The combination between new ideas of design and the local culture were often related, and they successfully obtained the satisfaction of people's needs. Concern was taken to ensure that the layout and design of the social housing enhanced the attractiveness of the overall development for the residents. This confirms the sustainable housing development theory wh ich emphasises the reinforcement of cultural values in the overall scheme of design through social network of actors to create satisfYing living surroundings.
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