Swing space: Opening co-housing to the dynamics of living

Abstract

Buildings and interiors are often designed by reductive formulas. This is particularly true for housing, where such formulas stunt the potential lives an interior can support. In the face of rigid constraints, however, can designers approach housing optimistically but ruthlessly? Here, a design studio opens up the problem of housing by studying assisted living in Selma, Alabama. Because of the rapidly changing dynamics of the lives of elderly people, the studio proposed swing space, a design concept concerned more with adaptability – changes in social use – than with flexibility – changes in physical arrangement. Swing space defeats simplistic programmatic labels: rooms can evolve, swinging from personal to shared space with few modifications. Relying on a generous redundancy, swing space accepts change to anticipate unforeseen events. A further goal is to dissolve distinctions between assisted and independent living and other forms of co-housing. As a result, swing space opens to a more diverse population through expanded living and rental rearrangements. By celebrating the dynamics of living, swing space also opens to meaningful phenomenological and cognitive possibilities. This upends expectations of clients and sites often considered marginal, aspiring to collect diverse perspectives into a multi-racial community that enriches lives with dignity, hope and joy.

Keywords:

• Adaptive re-use
• assisted living
• flexibility
• housing
• interior architecture

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONS:

• adaptive re-use
• architecture
• interiors
• pedagogy
• race

Acknowledgements

Architecture/Interior Architecture (ARIA) is a unique concurrent-degree program in the Auburn University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. ARIA Thesis is an integrated 10-week curriculum combining design studio with support courses. In summer 2021, Research, Professional Practice and History & Theory were taught by the authors. Studio was directed by the authors, Matt Hall and Deborah Ku. All images were produced by ARIA students in the summer of 2021 with additional scale figures and ephemera added by the authors. Preliminary work on the topic of redundancy was first presented as “The Power of Redundancy: Two Proposals for Selma, Alabama” at the Interior Design Educators Council South Region Conference, Auburn, AL, October 2019. The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Moore

Kevin Moore is Associate Professor and Chair of Interior Architecture in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA. His nationally recognized teaching focuses on integrating interior and exterior spaces for adaptive reuse and new buildings. Kevin researches experiential variety over time with a focus on socially adaptable multi-use spaces. Email: [email protected]

Jennifer Pindyck

Jennifer Pindyck is an Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA. Her teaching revolves around in-depth explorations into program and re-programming, spatial interpretation and materiality. Her architectural research and practice focus on the creation of inclusive, equitable and inquisitive architectures, landscapes and interiors within the public realm.