Thirteenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

This study examines the historical development of collective houses, which were first seen in North European countries such as; Denmark, Sweden, and North Germany, through the history of architecture, around the end of the 18th century and early 19th century. It examines earlier versions of collective dwellings such as; Fick’s collective, Phalanstere, Familistre. It finds that the common theme had been developed around a ‘central kitchen’. Thus, the earliest version of collective houses was used to plan for modern working-class women with a common central kitchen on the ground floor. As indicated by Dolores Hayden; in her book ‘Grand Domestic Revolution’ she especially expresses the functional changes in physical structures, as a result of to relocation of domestic activities, so as, to free females from unpaid, household labor. Today, branded projects are rising as a trend, especially, in the common areas, they serve to attract users. At this point, Ezio Mazio’s discourse matches with the study which is; ‘Existance-Minimum as a design quality must be minimum in square meters, but maximum in comfort that indicates the diverse, high-quality, common spaces of today’s mass houses. An extensive literature review and special case analyses constitute the main methodology. As a result it reveals key aspects in the development of collective houses.