The Owner-Builder
This pattern is shaped by
Problem
When building codes, financing systems, and construction methods assume professional contractors for every task, the resident is alienated from their own dwelling. They cannot repair a wall, add a shelf, or modify a room without hiring someone. The building belongs to them legally but not practically.
Evidence and Discussion
Owner-building has a deep history — most human dwellings throughout history were built by their inhabitants. The modern version doesn't require building the whole house yourself; it means designing systems where the occupant can do the finish work, the maintenance, and the incremental modifications. Timber framing that's exposed and accessible. Plaster walls that can be patched. Shelving systems that bolt to structure.
Therefore
design buildings so that the finish layer — paint, plaster, trim, shelving, cabinetry — can be installed, modified, and maintained by the occupant without specialized tools or training. Expose the structure where possible so the occupant understands how their building works. Provide simple connection points (blocking in walls, exposed beams, accessible wiring channels) that invite customization. The building should be a platform for the life lived in it, not a sealed product.