Rethinking Residential Space Planning: An Exploratory Study on Family Size Dynamics and the Appropriateness of Large Homes in Tanzania

Abstract

In the constantly changing urban landscape of Tanzania, a paradox exists whereby large family homes, once a source of pride for the homeowner, now sit empty as the ageing parents of the family occupy the space originally designed for the bustling family now gone. This qualitative research seeks to explore the appropriateness of the homes being designed for the changing needs of families through a gap in the literature that has been focused on deficits rather than the outcomes. Using a multiple case study approach with 28 empty nest homes, through the lens of Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital, this research identifies the construction of the homes through the lens of socio-cultural factors such as legacy building, status and the long-standing hospitality-based cultural value of hospitality (ukarimu). This approach to construction design does not consider rational long-term space planning; therefore, the homes sit empty and underutilised, often with a sense of tension between the homeowner’s pride and the cost of upkeep. While the household adapts through functional space conversions and entrepreneurial ventures, inflexibility in design and increasing lifecycle costs work against the household, particularly the ageing member.