Towards Autonomous Housing

When disaster strikes, access to clean drinking water, electricity, a flushing toilet and food security can vanish instantly. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake revealed the fragility of the infrastructure that supports our basic needs, prompting this research into autonomous housing in Aotearoa New Zealand. This study draws on Maslow’s hierarchy of basic needs, McMurtry’s life-value principles, and kaitiakitanga to propose a housing model that supports its inhabitants while preserving surrounding ecosystems.

An autonomous house, as defined by Brenda and Robert Vale (1975), is “a house operating independently of any inputs except those of its immediate environment” (p. 7). By leveraging technologies that enable self-sufficiency, such housing creates resilient environments free from dependence on external systems. The concept of cohousing is integrated to address the safety, love, and esteem needs outlined by Maslow, fostering both community and individual well-being.

Design inspiration is deeply rooted in the spirit of site, informed through observation and historical understanding. The Māori proverb ka mua, ka muri emphasises the importance of learning from the past to navigate the future. Abstractions and artworks derived from this contextual knowledge inform the architectural design, materials, and systems research culminating in an autonomous cohousing solution.

Permaculture principles are incorporated to ensure food security, complemented by the use of simple, sustainable construction techniques and materials. The result is an autonomous cohousing exemplar for Aotearoa New Zealand that fulfils the fundamental living needs of its inhabitants while embodying environmental guardianship and resilience.