Diversified households in metropolis and housing

Abstract

For a few decades, due to the globalization, inherent dynamics of city life (speed, movement, etc.), and the penetration of communication technologies into everyday life, the ratio of alternative small households to nuclear family is gradually increasing and alternative ‘lifestyles’ are emerging most significantly in metropolises.Although households are becoming varied in almost every part of the world, they have distinctive needs and expectations depending on the authentic dwelling culture of that special ‘context’, in addition to some common ones. Istanbul as a metropol which had experienced 3.6 average household size in the 19th century (Duben and Behar, 1996) and sheltering non-family household groups more than the avarage of Turkey today is a very special case with its urbanization dynamics experienced through current economic and politic developments. The reflection of nuclear family life in domestic space might be considered static and standardized. In Turkish society the privacy of the family has a priority and it is respected by relatives, neighbors and etc. On the other hand, alternative small households might introduce different dynamics to space use and carry out the potential of examining current space organizations. Starting with the 1970s, new living environments have developed in Western countries to eliminate the lack of communication experienced within smaller communities in cities, providing social support mechanisms, and bringing together diverse household types and generations. However, despite new values and differentiating household types the housing stock of Istanbul is gradually becoming alike. Besides the debates on suitability of this housing stock for today’s family and lifestyles, alternative and mostly small households are to find a place, minimizing their adequacy criteria without any expectation of social support. Moreover, while the ratio of small households is increasing the production of small housing with 1 or 2 rooms are drastically decreasing. (Balamir, 1996). According to 2000 census room number of houses in Istanbul does not change according to household size which might be considered as an indicator of that problem (DIE, 2000). The research explores the transaction of nontraditional alternative households (lone-person households, single parent families, donks and house sharing friends) with the built environment; their relations, activities and place definitions. Those problematics are examined through certain concepts such as attachment, privacy, flexibility, fluidity and temporariness based on the contextual model of the research. Qualitative and quantitative research methods are used in a dialectical relationship, however the qualitative aspect of the research is more dominant and various data collecting (deep interviews, photo-interview, semantic differential scale, observation) and analyzing techniques are made use of. The findings of the research reveal that household type is one of the major factors, which determines the transaction of people with the built environment. In all scales diversified and distinctive features of alternative households came out in the framework of related concepts (attachment, privacy, flexibility, fluidity and temporariness). However, it is possible to mention that some concepts are more significant for certain household types in certain scales. Diverse households have different needs and expectations pertaining built environment. In this context, it can be claimed that the meanings they attach to space, their use of space and activities within the space are diversified. Yet, people involve in various household types in the course of their life times. Hence, the design of the built environment -both the city in terms of the housing stock it consists of, and the houses themselves- should accomodate such diversity and flexibility. From this point of view, it is possible to mention deficiency of experiment and experience in Turkey. Some exported housing types addressing high income groups -even though not providing the necessary attributes- are used as marketing tools and images are sold. The research findings confirm the assumption that in metropolitan conditions of Istanbul, alternative small households need social support and new living environments addressing their differentiating needs and expectations. House should be reconsidered as a proposition of a lifestyle beyond just being an architectural solution. Moreover, its multifaceted relationship with the environment should be defined as a major area of investigation, taking account of the potential users of the housing market. It is essential to develop social housing policies that do not lack design considerations but promote participation, innovation and experimentalism.

Özet

Günümüz metropollerinde, konut kullanıcılarının demografik özellikleri hızla değişmekte; özellikle son birkaç on yıldır küreselleşme, iletişim teknolojilerinin gündelik hayatın içine dahil olması ve bireylerin kırsal kesimdekinden çok farklı dinamiklere ayak uydurmak zorunda kalmaları ile çekirdek ailelere alternatif hanehalklarının, nüfus içindeki oranı artmakta ve yeni ‘yaşam biçimleri’ ortaya çıkmaktadır. Hemen her coğrafyada hanehalkları çeşitlenmekle birlikte, farklı coğrafyalarda çeşitlenen hanehalklarının ortak birtakım ihtiyaç ve beklentilerinin yanında o ‘yer’e ait dinamiklerden, oranın barınma kültüründen kaynaklanan özgün ihtiyaç ve beklentilerinin de olabileceği düşünülmektedir. Çekirdek aileye alternatif küçük hanehalklarının (yalnız yaşayanlar, tek ebeveynli aileler, çift gelirli çocuksuz aileler ve evi paylaşan arkadaşlar vb.) mekan kullanımına farklı dinamikler getirdiği ve bu dinamiklerin mevcut mekansal örgütlenmenin sorgulanmasına araç olma potansiyeli taşıdığı varsayımından hareketle bu çalışma, metropol (İstanbul), semt ve konut ölçeklerinde alternatif hanehalklarının yapılı çevre ile etkileşimlerini; farklılaşan ilişkilerini, aktivitelerini ve yer tanımlarını anlamaya yönelik olarak kurgulanmıştır. Bu sorunsallar önerilen bağlamsal çerçeveden yola çıkılarak aidiyet, mahremiyet, esneklik, geçirgenlik ve geçicilik kavramları üzerinden sorgulanmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları, hanehalkı türünün, bireyin yapılı çevre ile etkileşiminde önemli bir belirleyici olduğunu ortaya koymakta; metropol şartlarında çekirdek aileye alternatif hanehalklarının çevresel desteğe ve farklılaşan ihtiyaçlarına cevap verecek yeni konut ve yaşam çevrelerine ihtiyaç duydukları varsayımını doğrulamaktadır. Çalışma aynı zamanda, alternatif hanehalklarına yönelik yeni konut ve yaşam çevrelerinin tasarımına katkı sağlayacak bazı ipuçları ortaya koymaktadır.