Flexible Design in Algerian Collective Housing. Case of the New City Ali Mendjeli, Constantine

Abstract

This paper examines flexible design in housing and its relation to the appropriation of domestic space by users. Several significant definitions have been exposed about this concept and make it possible to state that indeed, flexible design concedes to achieve all possible spatial transformations in housing. These are carried out to follow lifestyles evolution of inhabitants by allowing them a better adaptation and an easy use. The objective of this study is to estimate the degree of flexibility in the design of collective housing in Algeria through the analysis of construction criteria - adaptation and transformation-, defined by several researchers, which allow to reach a high flexible design. A study is carried out on two types of collective housing, located in the new city Ali Mendjeli, extension of Constantine, containing large housing programs and having undergone many transformations. A diagnosis is realized on these dwellings to evaluate the flexible design degree through the analysis of the transformations carried out by inhabitants. A comparative analysis is established between the two types of housing to identify which one has a better degree of flexible design. The obtained results show that transformations carried out on these dwellings, allow to reach an acceptable degree of flexibility about studied criteria for the two types of dwellings. However, the housing with better design characteristics, namely, surface and type of flexible structure, presents a better degree of flexible design and can be recommended as a model.