Retrofit and adaptation of existing housing are an important part of the challenge to ″unmake waste″ and widely accepted as necessary for a more sustainable future. The implications of this need for adaptability, however, are rarely considered in the design of new buildings. An example of existing housing that has a long and successful track record of adaptations is Victorian housing in London. Are there lessons that could be learnt from it and could some of its principles be applied to a more open and adaptable approach to housing design? The paper will provide a critical view of current housing design practices in the UK and contrast these with particular aspects of Victorian housing. The author will draw on conclusions relevant to this topic from his PhD thesis on speculative housing in late 19th and early 20th century London and suggest a number of key points that could inform panning and design practices.
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↑ http://unmakingwaste2015.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/UMW_Session_22.pdf