Introduction_House 1

Project for the first house on which we worked in the Roma settlement was initially conceived as a reconstruction of an existing house. The main goal of the project was to improve conditions for the family living in it – a single mother of four children. Reconstruction included: repair and insulation of walls, roof, windows and doors, as well as forming floors, which did not exist at all in the beginning. Guided by these goals, we started to carry out the project, but when removing layers of the wall, we found inadequate construction elements, and this increased significantly the amount of the works we planned. Due to circumstances arising from this, volume of works planned initially for the reconstruction finally equalled the amount of work needed for a construction of a new house. Due to very bad state of the house and unpredictable weather, we decided for construction works according to the principle “From the inside out”, i.e. establishment of the new unit inside the existing one. We decided for this manner of work in order to work as quickly and as easily as possible and not to depend on weather conditions. According to the plan, the first thing to do was to set construction element, and then all inner layers with insulation (floor, ceiling, walls), and after this, walls of the old house would be disassembled and new outer layers put in their place, with installation of new windows and doors being the final phase.
Designing and constructing of the house no. 1 were very closely knit, because implementation called for constant adaptation to the situation. And from this experience we have drawn conclusions that had significant effect on designing the next house.

HOUSE 2 - Introduction

When we finished repairs on the existing house on the same location, we began to develop the second project of a house for temporary housing, with the ideal to keep it mobile and simple. We wanted to create an assembly-disassembly house, which would be functional, practical and above all, simple for construction.
In the designing process, we paid a lot of attention to the technique of assembling parts and devising the details. We intended to make the house “from scratch”, using only the basic tools, such as: saw, hammer, nails etc.
As with the house no. 1, we decided to use the following basic elements and materials: wooden skeletal construction and OSB panels, as well as recyclable materials. Each of the construction elements was designed in detail and simple for assembling, and the process of forming the house frame was made easier by creating a manual for construction. Because of properties of the materials used and the frame structure, if needed, all damaged materials can be replaced with new ones, thus extending the endurance of the house, in conditions of emergency temporary housing. Because of frequent moves (for different reasons), the house was designed as an assembly-disassembly structure. The basic principle of the house is that it can easily be disassembled, transported and then again put together and assembled on another location, with this feature providing a more lasting housing solution.

Possibilities for further elaboration

We want to point out some possibilities for further elaboration and implementation of the concepts and principles of constructing houses (mentioned in this publication) and instead of a conclusion, we would like to offer ways in which the presented housing typology can be implemented by multiplying units and creating appropriate settlement organization, via setting the principle of establishing urban pattern.
In order for the possibilities for the mentioned pattern and urban model to occur, and to prevent segregation of Roma settlements, it is important to highlight that possibility for further elaboration is not implemented on the specific example of the Roma settlement in Vidikovac. Its implementation should be observed outside a specific context, but by observing a multitude of situations in which it is possible to implement this way of establishing a settlement. These situations could be: temporary housing of people whose homes were ruined during natural disasters, temporary housing of refugees, organisation of camp settlement, accommodation for festival visitors etc.
The basic principle for establishing the mentioned settlement organisation is a simple model of neighbourhood. The way houses are grouped in this organisation is guided by ideas of socialisation, mutual interaction and hygiene. As seen in already existing, spontaneous groups, segmentation is carried out, and we have unities consisting of 4 to 5 houses. By their orientation, they establish a central, joint “yard”. This principle highlights direct communication and a higher level of socialisation, so that inhabitants can help each other when it is necessary. Also, this central yard enables the parents to pay more attention to children when they play here.
When analysing the existing plans of the houses, before reconstruction and building new ones, we defined the minimal functional elements inside the house, which do not meet all basic needs for living. House is made for one family and provides: sleeping quarters, living room, space for preparing and consuming food, and planned space for keeping personal things. House organises in this way is accepted as the basic element of the further development and planning of the settlement. One of the basic and most important functions that these houses do not have is hygiene, i.e. providing adequate space for its undisturbed practise. Each group would have an outside toilet, in order to improve living conditions inside the group of houses, and in the settlement as a whole. This is accepted as a minimum which is possible to provide, since there is no connection to the existing infrastructure network of water supply and sewerage. In ideal conditions, where access to water supply exists, it is planned for each group of houses to have one sanitary block, which would include toilet, faucet and bathroom.

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