ABSTRACT
Worsening housing affordability and the high cost and complexity of construction are among factors that contribute to gentrification in cities, threatening social and economic diversity. To address this, novel ways of adapting structures must be found. This paper proposes composite adaptation as a holistic structural and architectural approach to small-scale housing adaptation in cities, focusing on a case-study into the application of composite materials and systems. The research employs the case-project: a house adaptation in central London architecturally designed by the author, as practice-based material research accompanied and situated by this paper as discursive and critically reflective component. The paper presents defined design criteria and relevant structural and architectural solutions. The critical practice reflection addresses specific benefits and drawbacks of composite adaptation. Findings contribute to ongoing practice and research related to composite materials’ use in architecture.
