The master's thesis presents an idea for a modern model ofcollective living for young people and young families in urban environments, like Ljubljana.
Living and being are fundamental human rights, as it enables us to exist and function in space. The design of urban space has a significant impact on human behavior and can greatly influence the quality of life. Quality environment continually adapts to the needs of the people who use it. Therefore, when planning, there is a greater emphasis on the human aspect of the space, with a vision to provide sustainable, healthy, and vibrant environments. Attention must also be directed toward increasing social sustainability, which is essential for establishing equal opportunities and accessibility for all social groups. Solving these issues also requires functional urban and housing policies, as well as new visionary ideas.
The rising trend of people withdrawing into collectives is a positive phenomenon that promotes social sustainability and accessibility for all social groups. Living in a collective positively affects the quality of society by promoting mutual aid, cooperation, and understanding. Sustainable planning also involves considering the needs of young people and designing healthy and high-quality living environments for them.
In the first part of the thesis, I focus on the concept of collective living by first defining the terms "living and being" and then describing all the forms of living that we know today. I then develop only the forms of collective living and explain their development in the European context throughout history to the present day.
In the second part, I explore the development of multi-housing construction in Ljubljana from World War II to the present day. Communal living had a completely different form during the Yugoslav socialist government than in other European countries, as they built "neighborhoods" en masse, where common areas were only open spaces. After independence, housing policy changed, construction decreased, and the idea of collectiveness disappeared. The housing issue was treated as an economic, not a social issue.
This research opens the topic of the current housing situation in Ljubljana, which I summarize with a thorough analysis of housing problems in the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL). Analysis data shows negative consequences of political actions. Complete ignorance of the problem by the government or partial solutions caused scattered construction, rising prices, uncertain and expensive rentals, a lack of affordable housing, etc. Attention is focused on young people who face numerous problems in the housing sector and find themselves in a time of exceptional instability on all levels, which hinders their economic independence.
We conclude that the housing crisis of young people is, in fact, a living crisis, as living is a fundamental human right and access to one's own living shelter is its essential component.
After all the analysis and study of the issues, I choose a location within the City Municipality of Ljubljana, which is near the city center along Tržaška cesta. At this location, I propose a project design that aims to effectively contribute to solving the mentioned issues. Therefore, I suggest the conceptual design of collective housing for young people and young families.
The main goals will be to follow the principles of sustainable and rational construction, to create a diverse and connected public space - as a new center for the community, events, and the living of young people. I emphasize the importance of a collective and shared spaces, which will be open to the entire neighborhood. At the same time, I want to ensure a higher living standard for individual housing units that exceeds the minimum technical requirements for building apartments.
Through co-creation and sharing of common visions that contribute to the well-being of the entire society, I believe that as a society, we are capable of finding appropriate methods for solving the current housing crisis.
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