Rules of organized chaos: patterns in self-help incremental housing in Kampung Cikini, Jakarta

This study investigates patterns in the chaotic appearance of self-help incremental housing in a kampung settlement. Many previous studies have investigated suitable incremental housing for low-income residents, but the pattern of self-help incremental housing has not been carefully investigated. The shape grammar method is used to identify the delivered pattern of self-help incremental housing, and in-depth interviews are performed to clarify the reasons for the pattern found. This study finds that the organized chaotic pattern of self-help incremental housing depends on geographical location and familial relationships, which allow construction over the perimeter of a land parcel through negotiation to reach agreement between homeowners and neighbors. Further, self-help incremental housing is driven by external and internal factors, such as the lack of affordability in the housing market, the mismatch of available job opportunities with the credentials and competencies, and the practiced social relationships among kin or relatives, which demand the expansion of the size of the residence to allow sufficient meeting space and privacy for the core and extended family members.