HOUSING STANDARDISATION

The exhibition is based on a three-year study of affordable and subsidised housing in England, Chile, China, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland, exploring 37 case studies of typical homes and residents’ experiences. It examines how regulatory approaches, housing markets, and social and cultural norms shape housing expectations, perceptions, and quality.

Despite housing’s significant role in society, there is little understanding of what an average home looks like, who designs it, and how experiences differ across countries. The definition of ‘good design’ remains unclear, leading to inconsistent housing outcomes. Most housing, especially large-scale projects, is highly standardised to reduce costs and risks. In subsidised housing, design governance—shaped by policies and regulations—plays a crucial role in ensuring decent living conditions.

The study investigates the impact of design governance on subsidised housing quality, comparing England and Chile’s neoliberal housing policies with the diverse systems of Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and China. The findings highlight the challenges in defining global housing standards and show how standards and quality vary, even within the same country, revealing limitations in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. The exhibition includes a detailed analysis of affordable housing through physical models, drawings, 3D scans, videos, and interviews with residents and housing professionals.

Curated by Sam Jacoby, Lucia Alonso, and Seyithan Özer from the Royal College of Art with Alvaro Arancibia, Consuelo Albornoz, and Claudia Chavarria from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.