When Residents Are Makers: Using Additive Manufacturing for Rehabilitating Modernist Housing Heritage

Abstract

French colonial authorities realized numerous Modernist housing projects in the city of Algiers in the 1950s. Residents, mostly of low-income local communities, have modified these buildings over time to fulfill updated needs in overpopulation. While the government relocated the residents of some complexes to new settlements and demolished the buildings, in some, residences continued to live in and adapt the physical properties of the dwellings for new generations. These residents are already active agents in housing rehabilitation. Their modifications are almost systemic and have a language, inspiring sustainable approaches that are alternative to complete abolishment of architectural heritage. The efforts of the residents can be organized and enhanced with digital fabrication and open source sharing platforms of the maker culture. In pursuit of a rehabilitation strategy to these sites, we formally analyze the dweller modifications and assess the residents' competencies in order to formulate a context-oriented resident-driven do-it-yourself support framework.