Bridging the gap in customised housing design: Integrating a graphic user interface for user collaboration

Area of Science:

• Architecture
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Design

Background:

• End-user participation is crucial in housing design but often hindered by communication gaps between designers and inhabitants.
• Existing tools inadequately support inhabitants in expressing their housing needs and desires during the co-design process.
• Digital technologies offer a potential solution to enhance user engagement and personalization in housing development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that facilitates end-user interaction and co-creation in housing design.
• To bridge the communication gap between designers and end-users in the context of housing customization.
• To enhance participatory processes in collective housing through intuitive digital tools.

Main Methods:

• User requirements and design tasks were defined through interviews with architects, housing cooperatives, and potential end-users.
• A Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed for a housing co-design system.
• The GUI was tested using low and high-fidelity prototypes, with feedback gathered from experts and end-users, including architects.

Main Results:

• The developed GUI received positive feedback from both expert users (architects) and potential end-users.
• Testing with prototypes demonstrated the interface's potential to significantly improve end-user participation in housing co-design.
• The tool effectively incorporates user input, aligning the interface with user needs and preferences.

Conclusions:

• The developed GUI is effective in enhancing end-user participation in housing co-design processes.
• The digital tool contributes significantly to more inclusive and effective participatory design in collective housing.
• This research validates the use of digital interfaces to empower inhabitants in co-creating their living spaces.