URBSTEADING: A Machine for De-growth

Modern society chases endless growth despite our planet’s finite resources. Degrowth is a concept that radically reimagines society, addressing climate change, capitalism, and human rights through a community-based sustainable lifestyle. This project uses architecture to explore degrowth through Urbsteading, transforming vacant existing structures into degrowth micro-communities in urban contexts. Urbsteading becomes a machine for degrowth by combining a Community Land Trust (CLT) model with small unit and co-living typologies for de-commodifying our land ownership model. It supports de-materialization of the built environment through spatial and material re-use and adaptation. Additionally, each Urbstead contains the seeds to self-propagate through a temporary bank of materials that supports future Urbsteads