A RESEARCH ON THE APPLICABILITY OF ECO-VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS IN HOUSING SOLUTIONS

Abstract

The urbanization process, which increased with the Industrial Revolution, brought negative consequences such as rural-to-urban migration, unemployment, uncontrolled population growth, social segregation, and housing problems. The uncontrolled population growth in the cities has created the problems of housing and homelessness along with important social and
physical problems. Homeless people try to temporarily meet their housing needs in public areas such as the streets, parks, bus terminals, and train stations. According to the research conducted by the United Nations, the number of homeless people in the world reaches 100 million. Among the accommodation models developed for the homeless in the international arena,
there are permanent solutions such as collective housing and tiny houses as well as temporary living spaces such as containers, sheds, and tents. It is noteworthy that eco-village principles have also been used as an alternative solution for the homeless as a sustainable living model in recent years. The aim of this study is to examine the solution proposals of eco-villages developed in this sense from different cultures and geographies in the context of ecological, economic, and social sustainability, and to evaluate the strategies of the ecovillage model, which emerged as an alternative solution to the problem of homelessness. In the light of this information, the ecological, social, and economic sustainability potential of eco-village practices, which are selected with a typical sampling method from the USA, Scotland, and Australia for the homeless, have been examined. When the examples were examined, it was seen that the eco-village model was a solution to the permanent housing problem for the homeless, and social and physical sustainability was achieved thanks to the design of living spaces, the use of environmentally friendly construction materials, and the training and meetings organized. It is noteworthy that the fact that economic sustainability is mostly provided with the support of volunteers and donors may pose a problem in terms of the longevity of the ecovillage solution for the homeless. Homelessness is not only a lack of a home; it is also discrimination and a social problem. Based on the analysed eco-village experiences, it can be said that it is important to find a solution to this problem
with the support of non-governmental organizations and the state. In order to improve economic sustainability, it is necessary to pay attention to vocational training practices that can integrate the homeless into social life and support them economically.