SPACE STANDARDS AND SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF HOUSING DESIGN

Abstract

Dwelling area and spaces are important aspects, in designing the house or in choosing suitable type of housing for dwellers. Space area affects the use of space negatively or positively to achieve the required needs and activities, we must put in mind adequate space for storage, movements, and furniture within our space. The research reviewed and examined the study problem, which it is the focus of architecture designers and planners on criteria of the housing quantitative aspect, and lack of focus on the qualitative aspect criteria by reducing the service’s areas and room space in a manner, that does not fit inhabitants’ socio- cultural aspects, also they reduce the housing space so that there is no available space to allow for future expansion to suit their conditions in buildings constructed by the Housing Development Fund (HDF)in Greater Khartoum.

The objective of this study is to ensure and confirm the interest in the quality of housing by providing housing space standard code for architects and planner in public and private sector. Another objective of this research is to give estimate standards, guidance areas and qualities for acceptable residential space and layout standards, by designing a program using computer languages give the establishment and determination residential spaces standard rates, and determine the minimum and maximum room areas , occupancy rates, space dimensions, and predictability in the future to build up space in the different types of house, so as to suit their activities according to their cultural and social demands.

The research reviewed with the study problem by surveying methods, using questionnaire and, site observation together with formal and informal interviews selected inhabitants in the different types of residential buildings and projects types that were designed and implemented by the Housing Development Fund in Greater Khartoum (HDF). 230 houses have been studied taken strafed random samples within 10 residential districts in Greater Khartoum, including different types of houses implemented before the year 2013 focus on low-income housing group. Spatial analysis method was used as a data analysis methodology in the house design drawings. The socio-culture data was translated into numerical system and presented in a form of tables and graphs to be read, questionnaire data analyze by statistical analysis methodology. The conceptual framework of the Sudanese housing spaces Space standards code (SHSS) model was organized in a matrix structure using PhP. programming language based on 4 considerations that conclude from theoretical and practical analysis of the research problem. Housing Space standard model is a software program get it in internet, it is easy to use by the planners and designers in new residential projects, also it can use by citizen to view the shape and design of spaces and future expansion of the house horizontally or horizontally that suit the family taking into account the economic factor. The program also provides different options and alternatives for housing types of spaces, area, proportions and distances required, and it can contribute to the public participation house type preference according to socio- cultural composition.

The research recommended at both the level of planning and house design in the public and private sectors the need for population's acceptance, cultural awareness, acceptance of living in high density housing, to extent the horizontal expansion of Grater Khartoum, the importance of establishing laws governing ownerships share in one building and encourage citizens to own small areas to and secure their rights, and to benefit from other countries experiences in solving the problem of low-income housing, and housing density problem focusing on low and medium income housing. The research also recommended the establishment of Sudanese housing space standard code (SHSS) through an integrated program to provide a clear set of standards, guidance in the form of minimum areas and dimensions for acceptable residential space standard and layout alternatives and options in different housing type and style. Also it encouraged developing different types of housing starting from the traditional type.

Key word: Space standard, Housing, House design, Socio-cultural, Housing Development Fund, housing Space standard code, Low-income housing, Greater Khartoum, family, Area