Built for the solo dweller

An antidote to urban loneliness

Master thesis (2020)

Authors

M.J. Breman Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

T.W. Kupers Public Building and Housing Design (mentor)
P.S. van der Putt Public Building and Housing Design (mentor)
F. Adema Building Product Innovation - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
M.C. Stellingwerff Public Building and Housing Design (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2020 Mark Breman
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Published Date

31-01-2020

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract


Loneliness has become a growing problem in the city of Amsterdam. It is
not a new phenomenon, but due to better understanding of the topic and therefore knowing it’s dangers better, the urge to do something about it grows. Nevertheless, loneliness is a complex issue. This is because feeling lonely is
a subjective feeling. In Amsterdam alone 300.000 people have the feeling of being lonely. 80.000 of them have the feeling of being severely lonely. That is 13% of the whole population in Amsterdam. In may of 2017 the municipality of Amsterdam presented a plan of action to reduce loneliness in the city, which underlines the necessity of taking action. The chief government architect Floris Alkemade also sees this as one of the challenges of the future. He says that
the fundamental changes on demographics, technology and care asks for
new spatial challenges and opportunities in the residential areas. The post-
war neighbourhoods do not fit in with the current society. Alkemade points to the increasing loneliness, the great reliance on informal care, which has limits, and the growing dichotomy in society. The number of single people living has increased, but many post-war homes are suitable for families. This requires other types of housing. The design of the public space also needs adaptation to promote social cohesion and to prevent or reduce loneliness.
The goal of this project is not to solve urban loneliness. First of all because loneliness isn’t something that can totally be solved. Loneliness is also something you don’t entirely want to get rid of because of the biological function it has as a warning system for our social needs. The fact that Loneliness becomes chronicle is something we can do something about. And one small piece of the puzzle is to design the built environment in a way that prevents chronicle loneliness to a certain extend. This building doesn’t have the intention to serve for a group of lonely people. This building isn’t build for lonely people where they are trying to get rid of their loneliness by the way the building functions. The purpose of this building is to minimize the probability of loneliness to manifest. Because buildings can be a catalysator of loneliness. The solo dweller is the perfect target group to start with. The building will function more in a preventive way in a problem solving way. Research showed that people who live alone are more likely to camp with loneliness issues. They have different demands when it comes to housing than other groups. There is currently a mismatch between this growing group and what the housing market is offering. This results is a declining living quality for the solo dweller group. The goal for this building therefore is to present a design proposal for a social residential building with dwelling types and living environment that suits the solo dweller needs due to the mismatch of current residential buildings and the demands of this target group.