A STUDY OF DIFFERENT MODELS OF

HIGH DENSITY HOUSING

By

KEVIN MWANGI MBURU-110028964

Research Methods BAA4513_T Coordinated By

Arch.Prof. Dato Parid

1.0 Introduction
Throughout the years, increase in population has been inevitable and as a result of this pressure
on land has increased. Each and every person cant have their own piece of land for housing. A
solution to this has come up in order to house large amounts of populations and this is high
density housing.
Peoples views on high density housing has always been one sided in that it has always been
thought that in order to achieve density, one has to build more vertically. But, recently this seems
to have changed in that one does not necessarily have to build more vertically in order to achieve
more density. A study on this may hold the key to achieving more while retaining same density
without building more vertically.

1.1 Background of The Problem

The success of high density housing is identified solely by the quantity and rarely on the quality
of space through grouping. Most collective housing typologies is related to dense residential
environments. By this, a large number of people are housed without necessarily dwelling on the
quality of the housing of the housing. By this, it shows how the focus is purely on numbers that
can be achieved (density).
High density housing is generally provided for poor people in the name of affordable housing.
When we have a look at the different typologies of high density housing, it always originates
from an individual housing unit or an apartment which is then replicated in an identical pattern of
configuration. The different configuration may vary by composition based on each housing unit,
size of the unit and how the overall form relates to the surrounding.

Many have argued the lack of relationship between density and form, a good example being two
built forms with the same plot ratio but different proportions of site coverage.
A look at the different typologies of high density housing may include;
i.

Houses

This is a single unit which is represented by an individual house then multiplied and joined into
multiple units. As a result of this, different forms of configuration are generated. So by this, it
moves from individual housing to collective housing of a higher density. Examples include;
INDIVIDUAL
HOUSE

ii.

ATTACHED
HOUSE

ATTACHED
HOUSES
AROUND
ACOURTYARD

ROW HOUSES

ROW HOUSES
WITH A
COURTYARD

FOLDED ROW
HOUSES

STEPPED ROW
HOUSES

Blocks

For this typology there is an increase in size, number of individual units and scale compared to
the previous typology. Block height is determined by the number of levels convenient for
walking. It can be freestanding on the plot with free open facades or connected to another by a
party wall. Examples include;

LINEAR
BLOCKS

iii.

L-SHAPED
CLOCK

T-SHAPED
BLOCK

U-SHAPED
BLOCK

LINEAR
SHAPED
BLOCK WITH
COURTYARD

GROUPED
BLOCKS

SUPERPOSE
D BLOCKS

High-rise

Modeled by tall buildings with multiple levels. The height is not restrictive and it varies from
place to place due to certain factors which include policy and by-laws. Examples include;

ISOLATED
BLOCK

GROUPED
BLOCK

ELONGATE
D BLOCK

PERFORATE
D BLOCK

STACKED
UNITS
BLOCK

1.2 Statement of the Problem & Research Question

The need to house more has become an issue which is being solved by building more and more
high-rise in most parts of the world. This is solely determined by most developers and how much
they can gain from a project that involves high density. More and more high-rise buildings are
coming up in the name of housing schemes without considering the urban context.
When it comes to high density housing, different models may be taken into consideration but this
brings the question, which are the main alternatives of high density housing without having to go
for the high-rise model?

1.3 Literature Review

(Meta Berghauser Pont & Per Haupt, Space density and urban form 2009) in a study of Space,
density and urban form, focused on studying the potential of urban density as a tool for urban
planning and design, without having to look at specific effect on a single plot of land. However,
(Tams Pernyi ,Low-rise High-density housing 2013) focused on the particular dwellings per
specific allocated plot and even looked at historical places with good examples of low rise high
density housings