Second Life Shelter

Second Life Shelter: Freetown of Christiania as an Example of Affordable, Circular Housing

Melgalvis, Reinis (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment; TU Delft History & Complexity)

Lee, Rachel (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences

AR2A011

2022-04-14

This thesis investigates the squatting community Freetown of Christiania as a case of self-built housing that is both affordable and circular. Affordability of housing has been an existing problem in Europe, followed by a relatively recently identified need for transition from a linear to a circular economy. Squatting communities have emerged in Europe as a response to the lack of availability of affordable housing, while the conditions of their existence have also provided a stimulating environment for the circular reuse of materials.

To gain further insights into building processes and the origins of the used materials, I have visited Christiania, where I made observations and conducted interviews with its inhabitants. Additionally, the conducted archival and literature research provides the historical context of Freetown, demonstrating its development over time. The thesis begins with the analysis of changes in building policies and processes that have occurred in the last 50 years of Christiania’s existence, followed by an investigation of material availability in Copenhagen and general building considerations based on the experience of Christiania.

Although in recent years the use of secondhand materials in Christiania has reduced, its development has shown how self-built housing can be more affordable and at the same time also circular. It also presents the current challenges of reusing materials in buildings as well as the existing possibilities for solving them.

AR2A011
Circulair Economy
Affordable Housing
Self-built
Christiania
Material reuse

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:7548c93b-1724-452f-9911-aaee688d1688

55.6734,12.5964

Student theses

student report

© 2022 Reinis Melgalvis