The Almshouse Reimagined: challenging students in creating community

For the past three years the authors of this paper have run a design project for second year architecture students entitled the Almshouse Reimagined. This collaborative project was proposed to studio tutors by a local almshouse charity to engage the next generation of architects in the social, political, and economic landscape of housing. The Almshouse Reimagined brief challenged students to rethink housing by designing a prototype Almshouse for Essex, questioning the housing needs of the local and wider community, and considering the opportunities presented by an ageing population. The challenge of the brief for second year architecture students should not be underestimated. The project constraints varied over the three years as did the site, a key constant being how do we create opportunities to build community. This paper explores how, through examining the almshouse typology in the early stage of their education, students are engaged in the pressing issues of our time, housing and the ageing population, whilst designing affordable homes that are protected from the ravages of the free market rented sector.