Homes Fit For Heroines
The influence of the Women’s Housing Sub-committee on domestic architecture in the UK after WW1
S. Erenst (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
A.J. Oxenaar – Mentor (TU Delft - History, Form & Aesthetics)
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Abstract
This thesis explores the influence of the Women’s Housing Sub-Committee (WHSC) on domestic architecture in the UK after the First World War. Formed in 1918 as part of the Ministry of Reconstruction, the WHSC aimed to adapt housing to better reflect the changing roles of women, especially working-class women, after the war. The committee focused on practical improvements in housing design, such as functional layouts, modern amenities, and better hygiene, to reduce the physical burden of household work.
By analysing reports, policy documents, and design recommendations, this thesis shows how the WHSC helped shift housing policy to include women’s perspectives. It argues that the committee played a key role in redefining the home as a space not only for domestic work, but also for citizenship and public life. Their work laid the foundation for more inclusive housing policy in the decades that followed.