Incremental Housing

Previ Project, Lima 1964

This research examines the principles of owner-occupied incremental housing through an analysis of the international design competition PREVI (Proyecto Experimental de Vivienda), developed by the United Nations in Lima, Peru (1964–1967). It argues that incremental housing provides a framework for the gradual extension and transformation of the house over time, while simultaneously relying on self-built processes that shift both productive and domestic labour onto residents. As an urban model, it enables large-scale development, reduces direct state involvement in affordable housing, and secures property value and fictitious capital through mortgage systems. Although widely criticised, incremental housing remains embedded in contemporary United Nations strategies, continuing to standardise land distribution on a global scale. Research project Taught MPhil Projective Cities (2018) Architectural Association London.