Spatial Evaluation Based on The Volume of Space Utilization in Low-Income Public Housing

Abstract

The need for storage space at home has increased following the Covid-19 pandemic, yet in the design process of residential space, storing space is often neglected. Some scholars warned that cramped and crowded spaces potentially affect the residents' physical and mental health. This study proposes an analysis of residential space based on space utilization volume, which is divided into three parts: domestic space, storing space, and dead space. This research was conducted in the Rusun Dakota, a low-cost apartment building in Jakarta, Indonesia. We use a mix of qualitative and quantitative observation methods, 3D modeling, and space utilization volume calculations. We found that: 1) an average of half of the space volume is used for domestic space; 2) less than 20% is used for storing space, and 3) more than a third of the space volume is dead space. The latter potent to be utilized as storing space, although we do not recommend using the whole dead space. The finding unfolds opportunities for further research to find the optimal proportion for storing space.