Simi Aluko

Nearly half the world's urban population lacks adequate housing, and the crisis is spiraling in developing countries due to rapid population growth and urbanization. I study Industrialized Construction (IC), a high-speed construction method that could alleviate the massive housing crisis. IC has worked in developed countries, but its implementations repeatedly fail in emerging economies. This is because its designers rely on frameworks by engineers who failed to account for organizational, labor, and social realities in developing contexts. The resulting homes are typically expensive and culturally incompatible. My research develops tailored IC design methods for developing contexts, by integrating social and organizational research methods with engineering design methods. My research will create practical solutions that could support governments, NGOs, and aid agencies trying IC in developing contexts.