Self-Building

 Self-Building

Walter's Way, Walter Segal, Lewisham

In "Walter's Way", Walter Segal plans, teaches, and oversees construction of a suburban neighborhood, built by the owners and users of the space; the term "self-build" applies to homeowners that build their own homes, which saves in construction costs, allows flexibility along the interior and exterior, and typically uses simple construction methods that are easy to understand and replicate with little to no construction experience. The residents of the neighborhood agreed that the experience of living in a self-built home, near other self-built homes, provided and set in place a sense of community that cannot be found in typical suburban neighborhoods or apartments. 

Similarly, Alejandro Aravena's Ted Talk, "My Architectural Philosophy? Bring the Community Into the Process", analyzes several case studies, two of which illustrating the self-build method. So, what would a self-build construction look like in the future of residential or multi-family housing design? Most were small footprints, arranged into neighborhoods either attached or detached from each other, and room for growth. Is there a way to implement self-build into other types of construction like larger residential buildings, apartment buildings, or larger neighborhoods? And with different construction methods and materials, different than lightweight timber structures with simple modular geometry? What does a self-build future look like for housing and (residential) architects/builders?