Housing is fundamental for being and living, but is restrained by availability and usefulness, and ultimately a product of demand and supply. So, what does living well in today’s cities entail? That’s the fundamental question at the centre of this special edition for liveable cities, where the phenomenon of housing is explored not just as a structure, but as a habitat resulting from social, cultural and political perspectives.

This edition brings together four powerful case studies that explore how we might approach the universal human need for housing without falling into conceptual and delivery problems common in real world situations. Around the world, different communities are finding creative and innovate ways to respond to the many housing challenges of modern society. In one article, the modern idea of housing estates is retraced back to the 18th century gentry in the UK. In a second article, the unregulated building of the Brazilian favelas are explored with reference to spatial qualities and modern building regulations. In a third article, communal spaces divided according to cultural beliefs were converted to Indigenous co-housing in Chile and New Zealand. In a fourth article, soon to publish, China’s Danwei system is explored as an alternative to innovate multi-storey residences. Together, these articles show how different societies are rethinking what housing can be. They share the belief that housing is much more than a spatial formula around human needs to conceive appropriate dwellings. Housing must reflect the people who live in it, whether it’s through co-design with Indigenous communities, re-evaluating historical models, or challenging outdated regulations, each contribution offers a fresh perspective on how we can build more inclusive and resilient cities for sustainable societies.

If you’re interested in how architecture, planning, regulations and ways of living can come together to create housing for liveable cities, we invite you to read the full edition. It’s an international contemplation of the essence of dwelling comfortably. It reflects a universal problem and provides alternative approaches to tackling the challenge of affordable and liveable housing for the long-term.

The editorial, Rethinking housing: insights from community driven solutions in a global perspective, by Robert Amato Lastman (City St George’s, University of London/Kingston University London, UK) and Jonas E Andersson (Malmö University, Sweden) is published in Architecture_MPS, volume 31.

affordable settlements informal settlements Mapuche housing Māori housing co-design Indigenous values collective housing habitus landed estate public housing estate