UTOPIA : A Social Housing Complex and Shared Spaces in Ibn Khaldoun City

École Nationale d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme (ENAU) Tunis

Project idea

The initial idea of the project focuses on the study of housing and shared spaces,
particularly on the integration of shared spaces within the context of social housing.
This type of housing has remained stagnant since its creation by the state in the 1980s
and has not evolved. Meanwhile, populations have changed, as have their needs,
yet this housing model has failed to adapt to address the local requirements of its residents.

By studying what it means to inhabit and the significance of shared spaces—between spatial
configurations and inhabitants' practices—the project explores the various scales governing
the integration of these spaces as levers for sociability in housing.

Using Cité Ibn Khaldoun as a case study, the project seeks to explore the social, urban,
and architectural diversity of this particular context, which is rich in sociability.
It examines its spatial and social configuration, as well as its dynamics of urban sociability,
lived experiences, inhabitants' practices, and modes of inhabiting that shape the social
dimension of the neighborhood.

This study highlights the critical importance of shared spaces in social housing, proposing
practical solutions for their integration. Drawing on architectural references and social
dialogues, it offers a vision for the design of a social housing ensemble and shared spaces
in Cité Ibn Khaldoun, thoughtfully tailored to the evolving needs of its residents.

Project description

The UTOPIA project offers a new perspective on social housing in Tunisia by presenting a collection of social housing units and shared spaces in Cité Ibn Khaldoun. The approach aims to rethink social housing by incorporating sociability spaces tailored to local lifestyles.

The main idea of the project is to embody social diversity and the variety of resident profiles in Cité Ibn Khaldoun by thoughtfully integrating shared spaces across four scales: the neighborhood, the block, the building, and the community.

To achieve this, a mix of blocks has been designed, ranging from horizontal collective housing to vertical collective housing for students and different families. The project alternates between internal streets as urban connectors, micro-plazas, and urban openings, creating continuity with the existing urban fabric, ensuring porosity, and fostering sociability. This diversity of housing types and shared spaces was chosen to contribute to the urban weaving that the project seeks to achieve, creating a connection with the neighborhood and linking the project to its immediate environment.

Technical information

The project was designed with a focus on sustainability, offering a new perspective on social housing. A thoughtful alternation of green and mineral elements was implemented, including shared vegetable gardens, green terraces, and water tanks for rainwater harvesting. The simplicity of construction materials—whitewashed walls, metallic structures supporting the green terraces, and pedestrian walkways—aims to redefine the perception of social housing in Tunisia.

What this approach reveals is that the act of inhabiting and sharing spaces is rooted in social, cultural, and economic dimensions. It is crucial to draw upon the urban context where the project is situated to create social housing architecture that is adapted to the diverse profiles of its residents. This requires sensitivity and careful consideration of collective memory, modes of inhabiting housing and shared spaces, lived experiences, and social and spatial practices.

The goal is to achieve a contemporary architecture that seamlessly interacts with the lived, conceived, and imagined experiences of housing in Cité Ibn Khaldoun. The project embraces the neighborhood's social diversity and fosters conviviality among its residents and urban components.