Can a house be a product? This thesis sets out to form a set of basic elements for a minimum house in light of this question that is both functional and aesthetic. The goal is to develop an efficient prefabricated system of construction analogous to a chart of chemical elements. The modular system is then applied to the most basic footprint for a house - a 400 square foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). Through studying the fundamental parts of a house, a level of understanding emerges, which allows for a projection of the idea as a whole. The ideal of prefabrication posits the possibility of architecture as a system. This idea has attracted architects for decades, despite what appears to be an inherent tension between architecture as a system and the poetic iconicity of the house as a type. A study of the systemic introduced by considerations of prefabrication can offer a deeper understanding of the complex nature of architecture. Finally, can the essence of architecture endure amidst the necessary limitations of factory production and manufacturing in our post-industrial age? / Master of Architecture / This thesis consists of a system-generated 400 square foot prefabricated house, a catalog of the house's elements, an expanded catalog of small houses, and a series of studies conducted while traveling through Europe and upon return. The system utilizes a series of functional pods and frames the 'served' with panelized elemental compounds such as walls, floors, and roofs to meet the programmatic requirements of a house. By applying this limited catalog, the feasibility of production can be explored through an expanded catalog. Ultimately, the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts; through tectonic articulation, functional clarity and an additive approach, this can be achieved while meeting the strict constraints that prefabrication demands.

this thesis investigates, whether or not, and to what degree architecture effects the urban and social segregation of suburbs which are built primarily to house industrial labor in times of economic growth. the city of clichy-sous-bois, which became well known because of its riots in 2005 was the particular focus of this study. the work informs the reader about the historical background of clichy and its dedicated french metropolis paris. it gives background information about the riots of 2005 and today's situation of the banlieue. then, the thesis follows some general examples about the "haussmannisation" of paris and gives a short insight in the statistical coherences of crime and urbanism. after that, it takes a quick look at special housing examples in east-germany and vienna. it concludes with a summary and comparison of researched information and a possible proposal to improve the conditions in clichy-sous-bois. / Master of Architecture

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The topic of this diploma thesis is modular growing housing. The work is oriented towards the analysis of current housing issues and its possible solutions with the usage of serial production. The aim of the work is to design a flexible system of residential modules, which is able to adapt to the life changes, family situation and needs of its inhabitants through addition of new residential cells.

Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed the government's capacity to provide adequate long-term housing to disaster victims. In response, Congress created a pilot program to test the efficacy of permanent disaster housing prototypes known as "Katrina Cottages." However, implementation was hindered by a lack of planning and local opposition. In Mississippi, residents feared adverse impacts to property values, citing poor design quality resembling manufactured mobile homes as a primary concern. Using standardized local tax appraisals, this study finds that Katrina Cottages are valued significantly higher than manufactured homes. It further reveals no significant difference between Katrina Cottages and single-family homes. It also suggests a strong relationship between value and smart growth design metrics, including density, walkability, and urban context. However, it shows that Mississippi Katrina Cottages are valued lower than those in Alabama and Louisiana. Furthermore, analysis of community demographics suggests Katrina Cottages may be less valuable in wealthy communities.