Self-building of housing in informal settlements is a common phenomenon in much of the world. Often referred to as slums, squatter areas, or shanty towns, this type of development comes with a variety of social and physical problems. Many lack clean water and other basic amenities and protections. At the same time, informal settlements provide affordable housing: for many residents they are the only alternative to homelessness. Often considered a phenomenon exclusive to the developing world, informal settlements do in fact exist in the United States. The most salient examples are the colonias of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. These are neighborhoods found mostly along the U.S.-Mexico border, in rural counties just outside of border cities, where they developed thanks to a regulatory vacuum that existed prior to 1995. Built in peripheral areas without proper infrastructure, including water, sewer, and paved roads, colonias often have poor living conditions. On the other hand, they have allowed tens of thousands of families to achieve home ownership. This thesis explores the implications of building regulation and infrastructure on the creation of decent housing with limited means. It draws on the example of the colonias as well as other projects from the Americas and Europe. The design proposal centers on a question of bringing self-building to an urban area. It is cheaper in the long term to provide infrastructure up-front to a dense urban development than it is to retrofit it in a sprawling ex-urban colonia. Beyond density, however, architect Renzo Piano has proposed that cities be considered in terms of intensity: the spatial concentration of the conditions necessary for vibrant urban life. This thesis focuses on a former rail yard in Houston's Near Northside, a place where the right infrastructure could support an intensity of self-building and urban regeneration. The proposal is both a physical and conceptual framework for the self-building of an alternative colonia. It suggests a balance between public and private investment and individual and collective effort, creating a model that could promote social justice, support long-term development, and create lasting economic value. / 0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

Lima's primacy in the economy and socio-political sphere of Peru has made it an unstopable magnet that attracts migrants from the country's interior. The formal housing market has been unable to meet this ever-increasing demand, thus leaving the newcomers to settle in the peripheries through the illegal invasion of low-value public land on risk prone areas of the cityÕs edge. This places them outside of institutional structures, zoning laws and land tenure. Their location far away from the formal center lacks proper services and transportation, yielding socioeconomic impediments, such as fewer work opportunities and social isolation. Instead of adopting the common tabula rasa approach to dealing with informality, Lima has embraced this inherent process by incrementally urbanizing these areas, providing them with basic infrastructure, assuming that after surviving the critical initial phase, these settlements will go through different stages of consolidation into the formal city. However, available land, in the distant nooks and crannies of Lima's three cones of expansion, has started to run out, leaving newcomers to settle around older more consolidated informal neighborhoods in harsher topographical inclines that are much more prone to landslides and damage from earthquakes. This precarious location greatly complicates sustainable connections with the formal urban infrastructure. Continuing Lima's acceptance of informality, a new hybrid housing model can emerge that views self construction not as a threat to urban space, but as a way to customize it. The combination of a planned formal framework with informal, self-built adaptation can help guide a favorable urban environment that avoids the overcrowding and unhealthy conditions of most informal settlements, while facilitating a more rapid and cost-effective self-construction process, through targeted and efficient infrastructure, located within existing public clearings, the civic space of the ubiqiuitous concrete soccer pitch. The role of the architect is then to assist a self-improvement process with professional logistical support, empowering low-income dwellers to take control of their own economic and social mobility. / 0 / GR / archives@tulane.edu

O tema desta pesquisa consiste no desenvolvimento das técnicas de aplicação da madeira de reflorestamento como base na construção habitacional de interesse social. Considera-se suas potencialidades para a realização de uma arquitetura que seja socialmente justa, tecnicamente viável, e acessível economicamente através de uma sistemática por autoconstrução. A pesquisa apresenta, de maneira geral, o estudo e sistematização de tecnologias construtivas em madeira, aplicadas na região sul do país, em especial na cidade de Florianópolis/SC. Buscam-se, portanto, indicadores de desempenho no processo de produção da habitação, para contribuir no aperfeiçoamento dos sistemas construtivos, do ponto de vista da durabilidade, e também na proposição de novas alternativas. / The subject of this research consists of the development of the techniques of application of the reforestation wood as base in the social housing. Considering its potentialities for the accomplishment of an architecture that is socially joust, technical viable, and accessible economically through a systematics for self-building. The research intends to present, in a general way, the study and systematization of constructive technologies in wood, applied in the south region it country, in special in the city of Florianópolis/SC. Searching pointers of performance in the process of production of the habitation, to contribute in the perfectioning of the constructive systems, it point of view of the durability, and also in the proposal of new alternatives.

Esta dissertação tem o objetivo de avaliar os empreendimentos habitacionais verticalizados de interesse social, resultantes dos projetos elaborados pelas assessorias técnicas, contratadas pelos movimentos de moradia, com a parceria dos órgãos públicos responsáveis pela fomentação de habitação popular na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo. São denominados Mutirões Verticalizados. A compreensão histórica e ideológica da verticalização das habitações sociais, da sua inserção e/ou espoliação no espaço da cidade e das políticas de mutirão existentes na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, pretende subsidiar uma reflexão a cerca dos resultados da ocupação dos projetos que tem como principal característica, o acompanhamento dos futuros moradores em todas as etapas da construção. Através da APO- Avaliação de Pós-Ocupação, aplicada em alguns mutirões verticalizados, localizados em vários pontos da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, podemos apontar indicadores do desempenho da aferição de satisfação dos usuários, e as principais causas que levam aos mutirantes quererem repassar ou ficarem em sua atual moradia. Essa pesquisa visa contribuir para o aprimoramento de programas de processos de projeto e da produção dos conjuntos habitacionais, na busca de uma melhor qualidade de vida aos moradores desses conjuntos. / The objective of this thesis is the assessment of social interest vertical-housing developments, as a result of projects elaborated by technical consultants, and contracted by housing movements in partnership with public institutions in charge of promoting popular dwellings in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo City, known as Mutirão Vertical (self-built vertical housing). The historical and ideological understanding of vertical social housing, of its insertion and/or exclusion from public space, and of the self-building policies in Metropolitan São Paulo, intends to provoke reflection about the results in projects occupation, whose main characteristic is the follow-up, in all phases of construction, by the future dwellers. Through the APO Avaliação Pós-Ocupação (post-occupation assessment) carried out in several self-built vertical projects throughout the city of São Paulo, it is possible to indicate and evaluate the users satisfaction, and their main reasons either to remain in the property or to transfer it. The research aims at contributing to the improvement of project development programs, and of the production of social housing, in order to provide its dweller with better living standards.

O tema desta pesquisa consiste no desenvolvimento das técnicas de aplicação da madeira de reflorestamento como base na construção habitacional de interesse social. Considera-se suas potencialidades para a realização de uma arquitetura que seja socialmente justa, tecnicamente viável, e acessível economicamente através de uma sistemática por autoconstrução. A pesquisa apresenta, de maneira geral, o estudo e sistematização de tecnologias construtivas em madeira, aplicadas na região sul do país, em especial na cidade de Florianópolis/SC. Buscam-se, portanto, indicadores de desempenho no processo de produção da habitação, para contribuir no aperfeiçoamento dos sistemas construtivos, do ponto de vista da durabilidade, e também na proposição de novas alternativas. / The subject of this research consists of the development of the techniques of application of the reforestation wood as base in the social housing. Considering its potentialities for the accomplishment of an architecture that is socially joust, technical viable, and accessible economically through a systematics for self-building. The research intends to present, in a general way, the study and systematization of constructive technologies in wood, applied in the south region it country, in special in the city of Florianópolis/SC. Searching pointers of performance in the process of production of the habitation, to contribute in the perfectioning of the constructive systems, it point of view of the durability, and also in the proposal of new alternatives.

Esta dissertação tem o objetivo de avaliar os empreendimentos habitacionais verticalizados de interesse social, resultantes dos projetos elaborados pelas assessorias técnicas, contratadas pelos movimentos de moradia, com a parceria dos órgãos públicos responsáveis pela fomentação de habitação popular na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo. São denominados Mutirões Verticalizados. A compreensão histórica e ideológica da verticalização das habitações sociais, da sua inserção e/ou espoliação no espaço da cidade e das políticas de mutirão existentes na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, pretende subsidiar uma reflexão a cerca dos resultados da ocupação dos projetos que tem como principal característica, o acompanhamento dos futuros moradores em todas as etapas da construção. Através da APO- Avaliação de Pós-Ocupação, aplicada em alguns mutirões verticalizados, localizados em vários pontos da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, podemos apontar indicadores do desempenho da aferição de satisfação dos usuários, e as principais causas que levam aos mutirantes quererem repassar ou ficarem em sua atual moradia. Essa pesquisa visa contribuir para o aprimoramento de programas de processos de projeto e da produção dos conjuntos habitacionais, na busca de uma melhor qualidade de vida aos moradores desses conjuntos. / The objective of this thesis is the assessment of social interest vertical-housing developments, as a result of projects elaborated by technical consultants, and contracted by housing movements in partnership with public institutions in charge of promoting popular dwellings in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo City, known as Mutirão Vertical (self-built vertical housing). The historical and ideological understanding of vertical social housing, of its insertion and/or exclusion from public space, and of the self-building policies in Metropolitan São Paulo, intends to provoke reflection about the results in projects occupation, whose main characteristic is the follow-up, in all phases of construction, by the future dwellers. Through the APO Avaliação Pós-Ocupação (post-occupation assessment) carried out in several self-built vertical projects throughout the city of São Paulo, it is possible to indicate and evaluate the users satisfaction, and their main reasons either to remain in the property or to transfer it. The research aims at contributing to the improvement of project development programs, and of the production of social housing, in order to provide its dweller with better living standards.

This report explores an alternative housing policy to Sweden’s overpriced and problematic housing situation. Research has revolved around how flexible frameworks of Swedish regulations and standardizations in the housing policy can improve sustainability through planning participation and self-building processes. Analysis has been conducted primarily through literature reviews and fieldwork where case studies have been compared relative to how participatory methods and self-built housing construction have been pertinent for their local development in the housing policy. The results provide urban housing solutions that contribute to diverse residential areas and reduce segregated neighborhoods. Furthermore, it demonstrates comprehensive social sustainabilities when residents have actively participated in the planning and construction of their neighborhood. An increased knowledge accumulated from participating and self-building also results in economic and environmental sustainability. This report strives for solutions to complex building regulations and standardizations, which must be adjusted for non-professionals. However, the results showed the difficulties in achieving a system change since political oscillations obstruct an alternative housing policy by concentrating on economic growth. Although there are difficulties within the economic-political systems, the analysis of the case studies reveals the potentialities of collaboration between municipalities and autonomous neighborhoods, which have been formulated through exceptional regulation plans. By reconsidering development where the economy is not at the center, the research demonstrates how municipalities can achieve social, ecological, and cultural growth by implementing an alternative housing policy to the existing one. These values are outcompeted by economic growth and must be re-established in society to achieve democratic sustainability. The current housing affordability crisis stresses the importance of alternatives for an equity housing policy, where self-building and participatory design methods must be accentuated in urban development in Sweden. The result of this report can operate as a platform for innovative housing development within urban contexts for self-builders and municipalities.

Yes / The emerging information revolution makes it necessary to manage vast amounts of unstructured data rapidly. As the world is increasingly populated by IoT devices and sensors that can sense their surroundings and communicate with each other, a digital environment has been created with vast volumes of volatile and diverse data. Traditional AI and machine learning techniques designed for deterministic situations are not suitable for such environments. With a large number of parameters required by each device in this digital environment, it is desirable that the AI is able to be adaptive and self-build (i.e. self-structure, self-configure, self-learn), rather than be structurally and parameter-wise pre-defined. This study explores the benefits of self-building AI and machine learning with unsupervised learning for empowering big data analytics for smart city environments. By using the growing self-organizing map, a new suite of self-building AI is proposed. The self-building AI overcomes the limitations of traditional AI and enables data processing in dynamic smart city environments. With cloud computing platforms, the selfbuilding AI can integrate the data analytics applications that currently work in silos. The new paradigm of the self-building AI and its value are demonstrated using the IoT, video surveillance, and action recognition applications. / Supported by the Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre (D2D CRC) as part of their analytics and decision support program and a La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

My thesis, "BMA (Bromma airport) / BEURA (Bromma experimental urban recycling association), an adaptive rebirth", explores the potential for an evolution of self-built circular inhabitation on the airport runway of Bromma through adaptive reuse and circular construction. The Bromma Airport in Stockholm is set to cease operation by 2038, leaving behind a vast expanse of infrastructure that could be repurposed for other uses. Instead of a late termination of the air traffic tenure, my proposal calls for the airport to be shut down immediately in favor of evolving dwellings on the site through community-based dynamic urban planning. This alternative plan for the future of Bromma Airport considers how the extensive flat surface of concrete that the runway provides can be utilized for slabs and foundations in circular construction and adaptive reuse for self-built dwellings.  My project aims to critique and challenge the current "housing as a commodity" discourse and argues for a greater qualitative approach to urban planning. Rather than focusing, for instance, on the number of dwellings, my proposal emphasizes the integration of different functions, community engagement, and the evolution of dwellings according to needs and supply/ability. By planning for a sustainable, community-focused inhabitation that prioritizes shared spaces and sustainable living practices, my proposal offers a model for future urban planning projects that prioritize qualitative measures beyond the obsolete urban planning trinity equilibrium of economic, social and ecological sustainability.