The future of living and housing (ASU-LIVE)

ASU-programme | Objectives | Themes | Cooperation

There is no questioning the social significance and impact of living and housing, or the importance of the changes that have happened in living and housing. Housing must be understood more broadly than simply in terms of building construction or the settlement of large masses of people. Changes in family and age structures, in lifestyles and the workplace as well as energy issues and the challenges of sustainable development have put a whole new focus on questions of living and housing.

Research concerns range from social and physical spaces to virtual environments. Requirements of accessibility, sustainability and variability have gained increasing prominence in relation to living and housing. More research is needed in the field of land use, other environmental aspects of housing as well as housing renovation and repairs. Despite their prominence and importance, housing issues have received only modest basic research attention in Finland when compared to many other European countries.

Between 1995 and 1998, the Academy of Finland carried out the EKORA Research Programme for Ecological Construction, and, between 1998 and 2001 together with other funding bodies, the Urban Studies Research Programme. Funding was also targeted at the Spaces of Nature and Culture Research Programme from 2001 to 2004.

Basic research on housing has been largely neglected and there is therefore an urgent need for this research programme. The research field is widely dispersed, and therefore the programme can have an important consolidating and coordinating role. Ideally, the research programme will inspire new kinds of research projects, research teams and research consortia. The research programme will also promote the international networking of housing research.