Housewarming: Social and Material Habits for Not-so-New Forms of Comfort
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Hwang-Jackow-junha-vin100-arch-march-2026-thesis.pdf
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202.47 MB
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50233de1c183d275b883797b5c80e6fa
Author(s)
Hwang, Junha
Jackow, Vincent
Advisor(s)
Norman, Carrie
Aguirre, Xavi
Date Issued
February 2026
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
In the spirit of a housewarming—a social ritual that warms a home through the gathering of people—this thesis imagines a collective future in which comfort is no longer defined by siloed lifestyles and energy-intensive appliances, but by reclaimed habits of living together. Today, our means of comfort are outsourced to an increasing number of appliances: HVAC, gas boiler, refrigerator, TV, etc., reinforcing individualistic tendencies and dependence on fossil fuels. In the face of housing shortages, climate crises, and an aging building stock, solutions are often sought in new construction and quick-fix technologies, while the habits that sustain these systems remain largely unchanged. To agitate these domestic habits, this thesis revisits pre-industrial systems of comfort— such as the Korean ondol or the Iranian wind tower—reintroducing them into existing homes as architectural interventions built from readily available materials. Using dollhouse-scale models as temporal devices, the project follows two single-family houses across three time scales: 2025, 2042, and 2068. These models function as living archives, documenting a series of incremental and unplanned renovations that respond to shifting climatic and social pressures. Narrated through a speculative radio show, these interventions reveal how reclaimed habits and collective care extend beyond the individual home. Ultimately, this thesis places renovation at the heart of architectural practice and advocates for doing more with the homes we already have. It also reflects on the evolving role of the architect in the climate crisis, proposing expanded, socially embedded roles within local communities—as renovation experts, improvisationally-minded architects, social stewards, and what we call house-keepers, material diplomats, and house therapists .
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture
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