This research studies affordable housing design outcomes in six contexts: England, Chile, China, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Here, affordable housing is broadly defined as housing that is rented or sold below market rates. This often necessitates some form of subsidy, but, as the individual country pages explain, these are not always government-backed subsidies.  

The six contexts analysed have distinct affordable housing provision systems in place. These systems can be classified by the types of providers, forms of tenure, target groups, and financing.

Affordable housing systems reflect socio-political agendas such as those related to welfare, social change and mobility, economic growth and urban development. At the same time, they are influenced by factors such as historical contingencies, regulatory cultures and instruments, and housing supply and cost. Such factors also influence the design outcomes, which are directly governed by the regulations, technical standards and guidelines that form part of these systems.