Aditya Sinha

AR3596

The following research report contributes to the faculty’s broader, much more complex research project that investigates contemporary housing through the lens of form, content positioning, and spatial responsiveness. Focusing on the principles of adaptability and flexibility in housing design by two influential architects—Herman Hertzberger and Pier Vittorio Aureli—whose approaches challenge rigid architectural forms and promote space capable of evoking people’s ever-changing needs. (Till, 2005). Flexible housing accommodates shifts in demographics and lifestyles, integrates emerging technologies, and, in some cases, even changes the use of the building and spaces within entirely. An essential aspect of this research is a comparative analysis of the pedagogy of the works of Pier Vittorio Aureli and Herman Hertzberger, supported by N.J. Habraken’s foundational theory of support and infill—to identify both conflicts and convergences in their approaches for designing resilient, user-centric and responsive housing designs. In addition, my research will focus more on the principles of Open Building—a construction method pioneered by Habraken that separates the long-lasting structural system of a building (support) from the interior arrangements (infill). Open Building closely follows the ideals of flexibility and adaptability and offers a sustainable and scalable model for housing in the future. Finally, my thesis enriches the broader faculty research by offering and articulating a refined perspective on how adaptability and flexible