LIVING

Dear Readers,

“The house is on fire” could be a casual way of describing the situation in affordable housing construction – not to mention social housing. The number of building permits continues to decline, and the construction industry is calling for measures from the government to reduce bureaucracy and expedite the building process. At the same time, the issue of housing is gaining in significance: during the pandemic years, one’s own home was a retreat, a home office, a place for childcare, the focus of exuberant DIY activities … and thus more relevant than ever before. In light of current armed conflicts, the home as a safe haven takes on special importance, while natural disasters such as the one three years ago in the Ahr Valley show just how unsafe our own four walls can become. The development of new housing areas is just as controversial as the construction of single-family homes and the use of building materials that prove to be neither sustainable nor environmentally friendly. Thus, the topic of private housing will always be an essential and emotionally charged issue, one that must be given new value with the help of (interior) architects. Repurposing is one strategy for making existing buildings available to the housing market in an environmentally friendly and sensible way. For this AIT issue on housing, we have found many outstanding examples (starting on p. 68) of how contemporary and individual living spaces can emerge from unused attics, old flats, former workshops and vacant (farm)houses (starting on p. 114) through targeted interventions, sensitive modifications and high design standards. Annika Schürk’s master’s thesis (from p. 38) at HFT Stuttgart highlights the importance of housing for women in Uganda. I highly recommend two apartments in Genoa (pictured above and on p. 22) to anyone travelling to Italy, and twelve interior design professionals were convinced that Maastricht is worth a visit during the colloquium for the INsider Award 2024. Find out who they selected as the INsider of the Year on page 10. In their essay “Es brennt!” (p. 44), AIT columnists Dominik and Benjamin Reding remind us of what we hold dear when our household and personal effects are threatened by flames. We are one fire when it comes to excellent interior design!

Best wishes
Petra Stephan, Dipl.-Ing.
Chief Editor
Architect