Ingrid Meling Lunde

What problem have you wanted to investigate/solve?

From 2013 to 2016, the number of children under the age of 18 from low-income families rose from 84,000 to 101,325. In 2017, the number rose to 105,500. The task addresses the current social problem where some children and young people do not get the safe and positive experience of where they live that they are entitled to. Research shows that children in low-income families are more exposed to poor living conditions, poor physical conditions in their homes and unstable living environments, especially in municipal housing. It is also apparent that bullying is not just something that is associated with school and leisure activities. For many, their home’s status, design or relationship to their home will also be a contributing factor regarding bullying and seclusion. This weakens the child's psyche, causes the child to develop less social capital and adversely affects the child's future. Today's society is constantly discussing the subject of child poverty and the provision and policy measures required to reduce the number of children experiencing this. I believe that there is a lack of alternative living arrangements that can help to improve conditions regarding the upbringing of poor children.

What have you discovered along the way?

Not only those with low incomes have negative home experiences, there are many others who experience the same. We are cramped together due to high housing prices, families with different cultural backgrounds may experience a lack of community and single parents may experience a lack of time/help and experience loneliness. I believe that the reason we choose to live as we do is because there is no facilitation or available offers for us to live differently. We have a residential policy that is very excluding and elitist. And it provides little room for alternatives. We need to develop alternatives suitable for more groups in the community. Shared accommodation as a living arrangement has several useful and very interesting benefits that I believe can help solve many of the social challenges we face.

How have you chosen to solve this task?

I have focused on a genuine social challenge and therefore wanted the project to have a focus that is as realistic as possible. I developed the project in contrast to the actual city development taking place around the Old School of Veterinary Medicine at Adamstuen in Oslo. I show how one can simply transform existing residential buildings into shared accommodation. And facilitate for shared accommodation and a social housing project across social backgrounds. The building’s floor plan and design promotes equality and reduces differences.

Specifically, who will benefit from your project? 

First and foremost, children from low-income families and their families. But also families with children in general. We are a multicultural society, where new family relationships have developed, there are more single parents, people are pressed for time, more and more people live alone and housing prices are increasing. It means that not only families with low financial capital can take advantage of this type of lifestyle in shared accommodation.

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