Undergraduate Studies

School of Architecture - Technical University of Crete

Special topics in History and Theory of Architecture and the City: Social Housing (19th–21st Century)

Since the 19th century, social housing has been a crucial component of architectural and urban planning practice, addressing the housing crisis triggered by the Industrial Revolution and rapid urbanization. From the first workers’ housing initiatives in Britain and France, to the utopian models of socialist thinkers, and the radical proposals of the interwar period, social housing has functioned both as an instrument of social policy and as a field of international architectural and urban experimentation. Its design and typologies have been shaped by the architectural, ideological, political, and technological conditions of each era.

This course traces the history of social housing from the 19th century to the present, both internationally and in Greece. It aims to explore the social role of architecture through the lens of social housing and to highlight its contribution to the evolution of architecture and the city.

The inquiry unfolds through the continuous juxtaposition of architecture and the city with the prevailing political and economic conditions, as well as the philosophical considerations that underpinned these choices. Within the same framework, key issues concerning architecture and building technology are analyzed, such as the search for minimum space standards, construction economy and speed, and the selection of materials.

Course Structure
The course is organized into two main parts, following two introductory theoretical lectures.

Part I. Social Housing in the International Context

A.19th and Early 20th Century – The origins of social housing
B.The Interwar Period – The emergence of the Modern Movement
C.The Postwar Era – Reconstruction and new approaches to social housing
D.Late 20th Century – Critiques of the Modern Movement
E.21st Century – Contemporary international approaches

Part II. Social Housing in Greece
A.Refugee housing and early state interventions (1922–1940)
B.The Postwar Era – The Workers’ Housing Organization (OEK) and its role in Greece
C.Post-1974– New approaches to social housing design

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