Iquique Beyond the building itself, the way we think about the city shapes the quality of life of its residents. Demographic trends have a major influence on urban development: rapid urbanization, aging populations in some regions and sustained growth in others, household restructuring, and internal migration. All these changes have a tangible impact on the need for housing, infrastructure, and services, and ultimately on how we experience city life. SPOTLIGHT Demographics: how can we ensure comfort for as many people as possible? More than half of the world’s population already lives in urban areas, and by 2050 this will be the case for almost 7 people out of 10! A development that often tests the planning and construction capabilities of cities. At the same time, some large cities need to adapt their housing stock to aging populations, while others face increased land and social pressure due to the arrival of new residents. For the construction sector, these demographic trends call for sustainable solutions that are both resilient and attentive to the comfort and well-being of the greatest number of people. COMBATING INFORMAL HOUSING In regions with high population growth, one of the challenges is to prevent the uncontrolled expansion of informal housing. UN-Habitat and the World Bank identify sub-Saharan Africa and several regions of Asia, notably Central and South Asia as well as East and Southeast Asia, as the most vulnerable areas, with their rapidly growing urban populations. Kenya. Providing housing for low-income families and reducing energy bills. In Nairobi, Kenya, access to safe and affordable housing remains a major challenge in this rapidly growing city. In response to this pressure, IFC supports the IHS Kenya Energy Efficient Housing program, which develops EDGE-certified apartments for low-income households, designed to reduce energy consumption. These buildings are designed to lower utility bills, improve thermal comfort, and reduce the environmental footprint. The Rent to Buy model aims to secure access to home ownership while avoiding systematic relocation to the suburbs, which often means long commutes and a lower quality of life. By combining energy efficiency, affordable prices, and proximity to economic hubs, the program offers a concrete and sustainable alternative to informal expansion. Chile. Housing that adapts. In other regions, which are not currently experiencing population explosions, informal housing inherited from past choices can still have a negative impact on quality of life and require innovative housing solutions. In Latin America, the Quinta Monroy project in the city of Iquique (Chile) is a global benchmark in adaptive social housing. Designed by the firm Elemental, it is based on an original principle: building a structurally sound “half-house” with foundations, load-bearing walls, roofing, and utilities, and giving families the opportunity to gradually expand their homes according to their needs and resources. By targeting low-income households already living in the city, with changing family circumstances and facing significant pressure on housing, the project illustrates a different Quinta Monroy project in Iquique (Chile). 38
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