Yvonne Umoru

Single-person households are an increasingly significant form of domestic living across cities in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As living alone becomes an established long-term lifestyle for a growing share of the population, this research investigates how solo dwellers inhabit domestic environments and whether existing housing conditions adequately meet their functional, social, and personal needs.

To understand how solo dwellers inhabit domestic environments, the study examines the relationship between household change and the development of housing standards in Great Britain. It traces the historical formation of housing policy and space standards through the Tudor Walters Report, the Dudley Report, and the Parker Morris Report, examining how these influential documents shaped dwelling types and domestic layouts. Rather than treating these standards as neutral technical measures, the research considers how they may effectively respond to the needs of people living alone.

By examining solo dwellers’ lived experiences, housing conditions, and domestic practices, the research critically evaluates how well current housing standards and regulatory frameworks support long-term solo living. It considers whether existing provision is spatially inadequate, unnecessarily generous, or insufficiently responsive to requirements relating to the domestic needs of solo dwellers.

The research aims to develop an evidence-based framework for evaluating and designing housing for long-term solo dwellers in Great Britain. The framework will integrate historical housing standards, contemporary regulation, and lived experience to inform more responsive approaches to planning and designing single-person homes.

Names of Supervisors: Dr Sandra Costa-Santos, Andrew Milligan