We live in an era where municipal laws and social stigmas challenge the right to occupy
space; where new urban solutions are dismantling the dysfunctional effects of housing
insecurity. The tiny-house village has become a popular architectural solution in cities
across America for its focus on community cohesion. Scholars have established the
benefits of community cohesion, such as increased resilience (Raudenbuch) and decreased
crime (Sampson), yet this valuable quality is in decline (Putnam). The tiny-house village
model attempts to push against this decline by cultivating community through specific
urban design patterns and social programs. Social science scholars posit that spatial factors
(increased face-to-face interactions, a perception of safety, and access to resources)
influence the strength of community cohesion.
As of January 2018, over 400 citizen groups have advocated for the construction of tinyhouse
villages. Now more than ever, architects and urban designers need to understand
the spatial qualities of these tiny-house villages and how they, in particular, influence
community cohesion. This study seeks to describe the tiny-house village as a typology with
particular focus on the spatial components that strengthen community cohesion: How do
tiny-house village residents access direct resources? How do residents interact with each
other? Why are spaces perceived as safe or dangerous?
Only in the past few years have enough villages sustained with a common mission - housing
security - to warrant comparative analysis as a typology. In this paper, I provide the context
of why tiny-house communities are a unique social movement and the vital role of social
equity in stimulating community cohesion. Then, using a case-study model, I describe the
spatial qualities of eight tiny-house villages through observations, plans, and photographs to
identify common urban design patterns supporting community cohesion. My analysis
concludes by refining the tiny-house village typology and uncovering emerging spatial
trends that may lead to greater community cohesion through social equity.
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