This seminar explores the possibilities of rethinking the conventional housing system in the North as a hybrid of what is usually understood under the terms ‘formal’ and ‘informal’. By discussing how heterogeneous everyday practices may unfold in increasingly precarious housing markets, the talk seeks out a new heuristic approach considering the role of ordinary agents in co-creating contemporary housing systems.
I will use examples from my current research on incremental housing extensions in London and the boating community in Oxford to explore the relevance of this approach for urban analysis and policy making.