Beyond the Shell proposes a large scale community-build scenario where a community can collectively design their communal masterplan informed by the expertise of architects. The ‘naked’ shell of unfinished spaces that are the outcome of this process can then be further customised by the community, tailored to their evolving and changing needs over time. As a result, the unfinished naked shell helps to address the issue of over-finished yet unaffordable housing supply currently in London’s housing market, providing a strategy to take advantage of residents’ communal labor to cut down the construction cost and lower prices. Through questioning the limitations of modular living units and communal spaces in contemporary housing models, the project proposes an alternative housing model for London.
