With 16 million residential buildings, each comprising one or two residential units across Germany (Destatis, 2022, p.16), the field of study is vast. Our primary focus in the Forschungswerkstatt Krise und Transformation des Eigenheimslies with owner-occupied properties. Our goal was to encompass as broad a range as possible. The selected houses were to be situated in diverse locations, including rural areas, villages, and both small and large cities. Furthermore, these locations were chosen based on varying future prospects, encompassing regions anticipating vacancies as well as those where demand is expected to continue rising.

The seminar engaged 16 upper-semester students from the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in architecture and urban studies. These students took on dual roles as researchers and key facilitators in exploring the selected research field. Their involvement was particularly valuable given the private and intimate nature of the subject matter: residential living spaces. An initial screening of case studies by the students highlighted a prevalence of 'empty-nests', homes where children had recently moved out or were about to do so. This trend, often linked to their own personal or family contexts, indicated generational influences. These 'empty-nest' scenarios, particularly prevalent among senior citizens occupying large spaces on a per capita basis in single-family homes, represent significant potential for change. These residents are in a position to be sensitized to this issue (Kenkmann et al., 2019, S.70 ff.). Consequently, the 'empty-nest' became the focal point of our study. Inspired by the Federal Environment Agency's suggestion to divide single-family houses into multiple units (ibid.), we named the seminar Half Measures.

Each of the eight case studies was investigated by two students. These students conducted open-ended, guided interviews with the residents, lasting approximately 1-2 hours. During the interviews, residents were asked to describe their experiences living in their homes, focusing on the rooms, furnishings, fittings, and surroundings.

The discussions also covered the significance of living in a single-family house and the residents' (future) desires for change. The structural details of each house were documented in plan drawings. Prominent processes, such as the residents' patterns of use, were illustrated through diagrams and/or sketches. Model construction was employed to further illuminate a specific area within the home that was highlighted during the interviews. Through these replicas, we aimed to transfer and tangibly represent the appreciation for these spaces and their atmospheric qualities.

In the seminar, the individual case analyses were collectively compared and discussed with the study participants. The gathered material was then analyzed by the two authors. These joint discussions during the seminar not only contributed significantly to this process but also served as a corrective to the subjective perspectives of all researchers involved. A research report detailing the evaluation results is currently in preparation.

Building on the insights gleaned from the case studies, we are now developing questions for a design study of existing single-family houses. This study will be part of a thesis group within the Bachelor of Architecture program.