Value by Design
How local authorities can use design to improve residents quality of life in houses of multiple occupation
by Clare O’Connell
Well-designed housing is acknowledged to be a significant factor in helping to improve one’s quality of life, yet current regulations for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) do not take this into account. Despite being the most common form of shared accommodation, most HMOs are not designed with the housing needs of sharers in mind, but rather created
by modifying existing housing stock originally intended for families. Research has revealed that the inconsiderate modification of existing stock can exacerbate some the challenges of sharing accommodation, disrupting the balance between privacy and communality, which can
in turn negatively impact resident’s health and well-being.
Despite these findings, little attention has been given to the design of shared accommodation in the UK and consequently there is a lack of understanding regarding what constitutes as ‘good design’ when designing houses to be shared by strangers. However, a new housing typology has recently emerged in Japan and South Korea, called the ‘share house,’ specifically designed with the housing needs of sharers in mind.
This paper analyses a series of share houses to identify what constitutes as ‘good design’ when designing a house to be shared by strangers, looking principally at how the architects have designed the physical environment to negotiate the balance between privacy
and communality. It has then investigated how existing housing stock, before and after modification, compares to ‘good design’ standards, observing that family houses have the potential to aid successful sharing, provided that they are not modified too significantly.
Subsequently, the paper recommends implementing more rigorous design guidelines for the conversion of family homes into HMOs, that will limit the ability for landlords to convert communal rooms into bedrooms.
