R1401_Cooperative Right to Build

The London Community Neighbourhood Cooperative (LCNC) and the London Community Housing Cooperative (LCHC) are two connected projects of a multi-stakeholder cooperative and a housing one, founded by five English women in 2009 with the objective of realizing through self-build construction techniques forty to sixty affordable flats and a community centre in central London. LCNC recently applied to Community Right to Build funds but resulted not eligible due to the high commodification of land that makes hard for LCNC to have access to land and finance.

The following research uses this case study to discuss if housing coops could be today a real alternative for the production of real affordable housing and if the policy allows for them to happen.

The specific dimension of self-build of LCNC questions the way in which design could foster a process of democratization of housing by changing the paradigm of what design should embody. In particular, what are the ideas and values that housing coops bring forward that challenge the way we design housing? Is there a chance for design to strengthen cooperatives potential and help them overcoming financial constraints?

Descripton_
Master Thesis for MSc City Design and Social Science 2012-2013, LSE

Credits_
Author_Giulia Toscani