How much is thatknock-down,house?

SELF-ASSEMBLY: Self-. '

built homes·using.::. -unconventional

methods are an

option that sh_ouldbe considered in

Malaysia especiallyfor low-cost

housing, says don.

KHAIRUL KHALID

Easy as ABC?Self-help or self-build housing has

been widely known as an alternativeconstruction method in providingimmediate shelter or housing tolow-income household. According toWan Srihani Wan Mohamed, Lecturer

~ in Dept. of Architecture, Faculty ofDesign & Architecture, UniversitiPutra Malaysia (UPM),there are manyoverseas examples that we can lookup to. "It is primarily associated witha housing processwhere participantsusetheir labour and skills in organisingto produce their own dwellings," saysWan.

",'.

~.,~I~an cautions that prefab houseshaone.WO?'t solve the affordableOUStngISsues.

Shecites Walter Segal,an architectfrom the UKwho developed a famoussystem of self-build housing as one ofthe casestudies that she refers to the

most. "The first community self-buildproject using his technique started inLewisham,South London backin 1978and provided the builders with a lowcost route into home ownership. Thepotential of this technique is in helpingpeople on low incomesto acquire skills,confidence and a home,"explainsWan.

The Segal houses represented anattempt to solve the problems of thehousing crisis bf the late 1970s. Localcouncil tenants were given the chanceto construct and own their homes.These houses were built on terrain

unsuitable for conventional buildingand at a low cost. The 13 houses on

Walter's Way built from 1977 onwardswas one of the earliest low-cost

housing self-build projects in the UK.The method of building he devised

(now called the Segal Method) wasso designed that it would pose noproblem to unskilled workers. It simplyentailed screwing together a woodenframe and infilling with building boardand insulation. The self-builders took

evening classesto learn the necessaryplumbing and electrical wiring skills.

Knock-down houses

Wan also cites other foreignexamples such as architect AnnaHeringer's use of conventionalmethods combined with improvedmodern knowledge of construction

using local materials such as mud andbamboo in the rural area of Rudropur,Bangladesh. ~

She goes on to list otherinternational examples of affordableand sustainable housing such asForm and Forest (Canada),SmartShax(Australia), Metro Cabin, MaximoCabin (US), Qube (UK), Spacebox(Netherlands), Cusato Cottages (US),Boklok (Sweden), Modern Cabana(US), Loftcube (German), ModabodeE-bode (Australia) and knock-downhouses (Indonesia).

Knock-down housesare aspecialtyat Woloan Village in Tomohon,Indonesia and is famous for its knock­

down house production. You enterthe village, shop around and select aknock-down house just as a touristwould purchase a handicraft! Youmay browse through examples ofthese houses and choose your houseaccording to your desired size,designand budget.

These houses are made from

local hardwood such as kayu besi(ironwood) and kayu cempaka usingtraditional methods which allow them

to be knocked down and moved easily.The design is derived from Minahasa's"rumah panggung" or traditionalhouses. There are several basic

designs to choose from and buyerscan even customise their homes to

their liking. Dozens of sample housesline the streets of Woloan village,each one with different designs andcharacteristics.

Generally it takes less than twomonths to complete a house, a day

or two to dismantle it for shippingand a week or two to build it on the

owner's property. Peoplecome from allaround Indonesia come to buy houseshere and they've even been shipped tointernational buyers,some asfar awayas Norway. Understandably, thesehouses for export do not come fixedwith plumbing or electricity which hasto be installed at the homebuyer's finaldestination or location. These houses

are even supposedly earthquake-resistant! .

Despite the plethora of optionsan.d examples of innovative andaffordable housing from overseas,thelocal property industry seems to belagging in this aspect.Wan emphasisesthat it is equally important to educatethe public about these innovationson affordable housing, and not onlyamong professionalsand constructionindustry players. "Forexample, duringmy research, I needed to explain onhow prefab works and what it actuallyis among the low-income householdsin rural areas of Baling and PadangTerap, Kedah,"she recalls.

Despite the hope that self-build orprefab homes offer,Wan cautions thatthey alone won't solve the affordablehousing issues. "Tackling housingissues is not merely supplying thenumber of housing units requiredand identifying technology that isaffordable. Social,policies, economics,political, and empowerment are someof the key factors that need to beaddressed alongside the demand andsupply factor:'

A knock-down house in Indonesia

A house made of mud and bamboo in the rural area of Rudropur,Bangladesh.