ZEMCH 2019 International Conference Proceedings April.2020 | Page 444
Post‐occupancy Mass Customization for Social
Housing Developments of the Lowest Income Range
in Brazil: Possibilities for Improving Neighbourhoods
as they Evolve Over Time
Luisa Félix Dalla Vecchia 1, * and Branko Kolarevic 2
University of Calgary; [email protected]
New Jersey Institute of Technology; [email protected]
* Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1‐403‐400‐0993 (L.F.D.V.)
1
2
Abstract: Mass customization is being adopted in many housing contexts worldwide to provide
families with dwellings that suit their individual needs at costs similar to the mass produced.
However, in many social housing contexts there are barriers which can hinder the adoption of mass
customization despite the benefits it could bring to residents. This is the case in the Brazilian social
housing context considering house units for the lowest income range of housing programmes. This
paper explores the possibilities and limitations of applying mass customization in this context to
improve the living conditions in these neighbourhoods as they evolve over time. We analyze the
ecology of the system of provision of social housing for the lowest income range, pre‐occupancy and
in the neighbourhood’s development over time. We propose that applying a mass customization
strategy post‐occupancy in this context has a higher potential for bringing significant benefits over
time not only for the families, but also to the city and other stakeholders. This study shows some
directions for such post‐occupancy mass customization approach.
Keywords: Social Housing; Mass Customization; Post‐occupancy; Co‐design
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ZEMCH 2019 International Conference l Seoul, Korea