Large-scale housing estates in Algiers between reality and myths of urban livability: the case of colonial and post-colonial estates

Abstract

At first sight, it appears that the future of large-scale housing is heading towards a state of continuous deterioration; their future seems to be obscure. The concerned authorities in many countries have opted for demolition, but at some stage, can everything be demolished? Especially in a universal vision of sustainability, which is opposed to any action that has a negative impact on social values, if we refer to large housing estates in Algeria, they are linked directly to socio-cultural identity. In the Algiers case, collective housing is directly linked to the societal lifestyles of its inhabitants. Given these circumstances, the impact on socio-economic life that results from such a strong sense of place and appropriation cannot be neglected. These observations lead to a fundamental question: have large colonial estates succeeded in building urban livability around them? How can we learn from these to build a solid basis to guide future designs?