Due to social changes such as demographic shifts, increasing employment of women, and evolving gender relations, families are becoming more and more dependent on local support to fulfill their caregiving responsibilities. Parents and grandparents are less likely to live in the same place, which means that childcare and elder assistance can no longer be organized within the family. The current housing crisis is worsening the conditions for family cohabitation. At the same time, climate change and resource scarcity demand space-saving construction innovations and sustainable lifestyles. Collaborative housing forms present a potential for positive change in this context.
The sub-project analyzes the practices and spatial resources of family housing, using case studies of selected collaborative forms of housing in Bavaria. Non-collaborative housing structures are also examined to identify the specific features of collaborative housing. Particular attention is given to care work and sustainable lifestyles.
The aim of the interdisciplinary project is to combine approaches from family, housing, and urban research, an intersection that has so far received little attention in research, politics and practice. The cooperation between the German Youth Institute and the Professorship of Urban Design at the Technical University of Munich brings together expertise from the social and spatial sciences. Both the perspectives of residents and stakeholders from the city and neighborhood are taken into account. Findings and recommendations for action are discussed with politicians and practitioners.
