Housing Overview: Prehistoric to Renaissance

• The housing overview covers prehistoric times to future trends, including Asian and Philippine contexts.

Prehistoric to Ancient Periods

• Prehistoric settlements were nomadic encampments chosen for terrain, water, sun/wind, safety, storage.
• Early planning addressed topography, access, fire placement, and security.

Bronze Age (4000 BC - 2000 BC)

• Early cities arose near rivers like the Nile and the Indus.
• Mohenjo-Daro featured grid layouts, paved streets, water systems, and early building codes like the Code of Hammurabi.

Iron Age (2000 BC - 27 BC)

• Greek and Roman planning focused on defense, water supply, and urban housing.
• Towns grew around monasteries and castles with irregular street patterns and fortifications.

Medieval to Renaissance Periods

• Towns grew around religious or military structures.
• Thirteenth- and fourteenth-century towns were affected by trade and growing urban areas such as Florence.
• Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century urban planning included beauty, form, and function in capitalist societies.
• Structured road networks and public spaces also developed
• The Floating Island of Uros is an example

Baroque Period (17th–18th Century)

• Radial street planning, focal points, and grand civic buildings came into use.
• Washington D.C.'s design was influenced by Baroque styles.

Industrial Revolution & Modern Urban Planning

• Rapid urbanization led to overcrowding and poor sanitation in the 18th–19th century.
• Britain's Laborers' Dwelling Act initiated large-scale public housing.

20th Century Housing Movements

• The Garden City Movement mixed green spaces and structured housing (Ebenezer Howard, 1898).
• The Neighborhood Unit Concept organized communities with services (Clarence Perry, 1920).
• New Urbanism advocated mixed-use, community-driven planning (Jane Jacobs, 1960s).

Housing in the Philippines

• Pre-colonial settlements were agrarian, riverine, and coastal with nipa huts.
• Spanish colonization saw plaza-centered towns and social segregation in Intramuros (1600s-1898).
• Urbanization of Manila and economic control took place during the American period (1898-1946).
• Post-WWII developments included public housing, resettlement, and expansion of informal settlements.

Global & Future Housing Trends

• Sustainable housing uses climate-responsive, energy-efficient designs.
• Resilient Cities planning considers disasters and climate change adaptation.
• Smart Cities use technology for efficient urban management.

Urbanization and Housing in Asia

• Urbanization is the spatial concentration of people and economic activity driving modern civilization.
• Cities are hubs of economy, culture, innovation, and political power.
• Economic opportunities, infrastructure, and services attract people to urban areas.
• Migration is driven by employment, education, and improved living conditions.
• Post-1950 urbanization has led to over half the world's population living in cities.
• Developing countries struggle with rapid urbanization, causing housing and infrastructure problems.

Housing and Urbanization in Asia

• Early housing studies focused on design and construction and later integrated social and economic aspects.
• East Asian governments used housing to drive urbanization and economic growth, also focused on homeownership as social welfare.
• Housing affordability in the Philippines is a key issue due to rising land prices.

Housing System Approaches in East Asia

• State-led planning: Housing development is a deliberate activity by governments
• Housing is seen as an economic asset rather than a public welfare service.
• Government involvement in housing increased urbanization; the housing market contributed to GDP growth and fueled middle-class homeownership.

Current Housing Challenges in Asia

• Urbanization and population growth outpace housing supply.
• Lack of finance mechanisms affect low- and middle-income groups.
• Slums and informal settlements lead to poor living conditions, lack of sanitation, environmental hazards, and tenure insecurity.

Effects of and Solutions to Inadequate Housing

• Inadequate housing results in poor health, lower educational achievements, and economic instability.
• Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) promotes removing supply constraints in order to boost housing markets.
• Housing accessibility, housing quality, and affordability are important issues.
• UN-Habitat stresses the importance of sustainable housing that integrates the economic, social, and environmental

Neighborhood

• A neighborhood is a geographic area where residents share common services and facilities.
• Boundaries are defined by natural features, infrastructure, and planning elements.

Principles of an Ideal Neighborhood

• Public spaces form the center, with an edge of natural or manmade infrastructure.
• Optimal size: 400 meters to ensure accessibility.
• Balanced mix of activities including residential, commercial, educational, and recreational facilities.
• Interconnected streets and pedestrian routes: Promotes accessibility and easy movement.
• Priority to public spaces and civic buildings: ensures functionality and social interaction.

Other Community Elements

• Districts are urban areas with specialized functions, e.g., business, education, industry.
• Corridors serve as connectors and separators between neighborhoods and districts.
• Streets act as communal spaces, with connected patterns, hierarchies based on vehicle volume, figures, and features.
• Blocks define urban fabric, range from 250–600 feet, and influence building density and layout.
• Variations on types buildings varies in width and depth, including Street Walls, Parking, and Landscaping.

The Elements of Residential Development

• The elements include Land Use like Streets, Open Space, and Commercial Space
• Public, Institutional, and Residential Space.
• Circulation Elements: Street Classifications, Alignment and width.
• Layout Types: Grid, modified grid, curvilinear, cul-de-sac, loop, and T-type turnarounds.
• There are intersections, driveways, curbs, parking, and sidewalks.
• Utilities include water, wastewater, energy, and communication.
• The elements have Landscape features, materials, and structures.

Housing Needs in the Philippines

• The current housing backlog is 3.9 million households.
• The backlog is expected to reach 6.5 million by 2030.
• The highest demand comes from socialized housing and low-cost housing.

Slums & Housing Production Trends

• Socialized housing projects cost P450,000 and below.
• Economic housing ranges from P450,000 to P1.7 million.
• Socialized and economic housing is 70% of total housing production.
• A few large firms dominate the housing sector despite 3,164 players in the industry.

Housing Markets & Policies in the Phillipines

• Housing policies & programs also operate through Socialized Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and Pag-IBIG Affordable Housing.
• The Socialized Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) was established to focus on social housing for low-income and informal sector families.
• It runs programs like the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) and the Abot-Kaya Pabahay Fund (AKPF).
• The Pag-IBIG Affordable Housing Program targets minimum wage earners and provides loans for lot purchase, house construction, or unit acquisition. The Community Mortgage Program (CMP) aims to improve conditions of homeless Filipinos with affordable financing.
• Total backlog: 6.5 million housing units are needed and housing production capacity is insufficient. The "BLISS Program" sought to implement equitable distribution of urbanization and had three classifications: Neighborhood, Agro-Industrial, and Ecological communities.