As designers, producers, and researchers of the built environment, we understand that housing is a human right. But supply strategies and housing solutions are not meeting the needs of the ‘other half’, the billions of low-income people worldwide. Housing for all is a serious responsibility that demands strong leadership and increased urgency within the global development agenda.The international housing crisis has already assumed a scale that continues to result in the exclusion of over one billion people. Against this backdrop, we seek to trigger positive change through an agenda aiming to informalize the formal and formalize the informal. We are committed to developing alternative housing solutions for the growing number of our fellow citizens deprived of the diverse benefits of urban life. Architects, urban designers, landscape architects, planners, social scientists, and policy makers from across the world, we have come together on the occasion of the NO COST HOUSING conference at ETH Zürich to explore and debate innovative approaches to housing research, design, construction, and delivery. Despite our diverse backgrounds, we have found common ground. We deliver the following declaration with one voice. We need new alliances to arrive at different solutions. For this reason, we propose a collaboration between UN-HABITAT and universities to create a series of chairs committed to the realization of the SDG’s and NUA through research, teaching, and projects that result in exemplary housing solutions for all. 1st July 2016, Zürich Leibniz University Hannover ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank UN-Habitat ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Zürich Technical University of Munich Newcastle University ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank University of Sao Paulo ETH Zürich Deutsches Architekturmuseum UN-Habitat Anupama Kundoo Architects ETH Zürich Silesian University of Technology u4e ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE McKinsey McKinsey Materia Inc. Verein Wunderkammer ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Zürich University of Califorinia, Berkley ETH Zürich ETH Zürich ETH Zürich Leibniz University Hannover University of Lisbon Federal University of Paraíba ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank University of Namibia Oxford Brookes University ETH Zürich ETH Zürich University of Sao Paulo University of Basel ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE University of Technology Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven University of Belgrade ETH Zürich University of Technology Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven Slovak University of Technology Bratislava University of Granada Externado de Colombia University Caritasverband Mannheim e.V. ETH Zürich Affordable Housing Institute Singapore University of Technology and Design Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Build Change School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal ETH Zürich Bauhaus University Weimar Urbitandem University of Technology Eindhoven Silesian University of Technology University of Vienna Technical University of Berlin baumann.dürr Architekten ETH Zürich MAssachusetts Institute of Technology MIT University of Lisbon Kielce University of Technology Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne EPFL University of Neuchâtel National University of Colombia Freelance Delft University of Technology Future Cape Town ETH Zürich ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE Ministry of Urban Development Ministry of Urban Development ETH Zürich ETH Zürich Istanbul Technical University ETH Zürich Oxford Brookes University ETH Zürich ETH Zürich RZU Regionalplanung Zürich und Umgebung Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin ETH Zürich Southeast University University of Duisburg-Essen Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl University of Kassel ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank ETH Zürich Ghent University Karlsruhe Institute of Technology ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank ETH Zürich LafargeHolcim ETH Zürich LafargeHolcim ETH Zürich Julia Hinderink Architecture Andreas Rubin Architektur ETH Zürich ETH Zürich / Urban Think Tank Christian Hubert Claudio Marie Margrit Christian Regine Graham Alfredo Nabil Georges Milica Peter Cachola Jennifer Anupama Doreen Agata Blanca Jan Jürgen Aditi Lucio Vesna Rebecca Reto Andrea Charlotte Jennifer Blanka Maria Jiwon Gabriel Tianxing Laura Federica Diego Ndeshi Faye Maria Jose Giulia Hanne Claudia Eveline Martina Matteo Dario Vladan Lindsay Lex Hanna Katarina Igor Lenka Christiane Sascha Anya Mohit Valeria Anna Tapas Sheuli Wayne Athina Maria Teresa Eefje Agata Nazia Kathrin Ewa Zhu Francis Joana Jakub Tobias Laura Pedro Christa Nelson Rashiq Mikal Aline Angela Nertil Aida Edwin César Dilara Katalin Verena Célia Isabel Vincent Gabriela Berta Sasha Li Marielly Evelina Gerhard Haris Andrea Harriet Nadya Bo Hans Manuel Marie Ani Katariina Muchanga Metaxia Ghada Zeljko Julia Andreas Marco Daniel Werthmann Klumpner Acioly Glaser Hugentobler Schmid Keller Tipple Brillembourg Bonduki Topalovic Schmal Duyne Kundoo Heng Liu Twardoch Calvo Boixet Silberberger Laartz Ramdorai Frigo Tomse Boguska Bürgin Hagn Malterre Barthes Siqueira Petrovcic Kouvari Jung Duarte Dai von Puttkamer Tortora Ceresuela Namupala Buerk Oliva Herruzo Celentano Vrebos Saalfrank Althaus Cvetkovic Basso Sposini Djokic Howe van Ewijk Jurkowska Smatanova Kuvac Sobotová Rudic Delz Brickman Raredon Arora Vidal Calogero Mitra Mitra Switzer Stefani Diniz Hendriks Twardoch Roushan Wieck Wasilewska Jin Goyes Pestana Lages Heciak Baitsch Amézquita Héndez Ziegler Mota Fataar Müller Birrer Jolle Martiro (Seseri) Zea Besada Kara Sweys Göswein Macedo Guenther Hirschier Debrunner Mota Cisar Bao Casanova Knyzelyte Kienast Piplas Rossi Bersier Vonmoos Zhang Degraeuwe Hauer Grob Vihervaara Mudenda Markaki Chodorge Medved Hinderink Rubin Jacomella Schwartz 01 ADEQUACY When it comes to housing, one solution does not fit all. Con- textual factors need to be understood and considered within the broader definition of adequate housing. 02 CULTURAL CONTEXT The cultural context, from lifestyle and use of space, to tra- ditions, family structures, gender roles, and religion, must be the driver for all housing-related policies and decisions.. 03 POLITICS AND DESIGN A people centered low-cost housing policy does not equate to low-quality single dwellings. Sustainable and durable solutions require a preventive and curative urbanization plan that also addresses the need for low-cost transport facilities. 04 PROCESS Housing is a process, not a product. Incremental and self-built housing strategies better reflect the realities of low-income people and developing neighborhoods. These strategies must be appreciated and supported to enable positive and sustain- able transformations. 05 INNOVATION In an age of mass urbanization, new models of housing and infrastructure must be developed to pursue ‘frugal’ innovation through an accelerated phase of experimentation. Govern- ments should support a large number of pilot projects, jointly developed by all stakeholders. 06 LAND Serviced land must be secured for low-income populations that is close to infrastructure and livelihoods. Current land markets and policies make this difficult. Governments should institute laws that reposition land ownership for collective use, common ownership, and land lease in order to avoid informal urbanization in risky areas. 07 MATERIAL CULTURE We need an ethical material culture for housing construction that fosters local craft and creates and sustains jobs by building socially and ecologically benign value chains. National material standardization is necessary, but should focus on performance, not prescription. The use of local materials, for instance rammed earth, bamboo, and alternative materials from urban mining, should be encouraged. 08 FINANCIAL MODELS Current financial models rarely work for low-income citizens. Free housing has also proven to be ineffective and detrimental. We must re-evaluate financial instruments and adjust them to fit needs. In particular, by developing local and international institutions that recognize and assist self-help and bottom-up strategies. The focus should not only be on ownership, but also rental land and housing. 09 HOUSING ECONOMY Housing is an engine of economic development. Policies, instruments, and incentives must be developed that foster small building enterprises alongside large building industries, preserving support for local value chains. 10 MAPPING AND INVENTORIZATION We need to know more about the conditions and composition of existing housing stock, as well as housing demand and supply. Governments should support web-based data collection, such as participatory mapping and volunteer geography. Detailed inventories will allow for better planning decisions. 11 CONDITION OF EXISTING AND HISTORIC HOUSING STOCK Housing conditions in historic town centers deserve greater attention. Appropriate financing and improvement programs must be developed that are culturally sensitive, affordable, quick to implement, and that mitigate the social risks of gentrification and abandonment. 12 TRANSIENT AND DISPLACED POPULATIONS We must be more aware of the housing needs of transient and displaced populations, such as migrant workers and refugees. Appropriate locations should be identified, and adequate housing standards formulated. The most vulnerable groups, such as single women and children, require particular attention. Permanent housing solutions have to be developed for temporary residents. 13 EDUCATION Designers of the built environment must be trained to design for the other half. Schools should restructure their curricula to respond to the housing needs of the majority through a truly interdisciplinary approach. A special focus on the underlying mechanisms of land policy and financing is needed. Formats like action learning, research, teaching, and life long education need to be encouraged. 14 CO-PRODUCTION The stakeholders involved in designing, negotiating, and con- structing housing and related services are a central part of an integrated project approach. Knowledge sharing, as well as the interchange of services and sweat-equity, are valuable approaches that must be re-evaluated. 15 THE ARCHITECTURE OF GOVERNANCE All stakeholders, from academia and policy makers, to de- velopers, the building industry, and other public and private partners, must unite to reach an agreement with civil society of what has to be done and how to achieve it, with defined targets and measurable results. 16 ENHANCE RESILIENCE Many cities are increasingly vulnerable to hazards and dis- asters, leading to severe damage and destruction of existing housing and neighborhoods. We must strengthen collabora- tion between international organizations and link them with municipal authorities and other local stakeholders with the aim of reaching the most vulnerable citizens. 17 PARTICIPATION Community-based organizations have significant skills and capacities. They must be empowered to assume a leading role in neighborhood development and the formulation of housing strategies. But communities are not homogeneous. We must ensure women, minorities, and socioeconomically disadvan- taged groups have the right to participate in decision-making. 18 URBAN RECONSTRUCTION There is an urgent need to demystify the complexity of urban reconstruction in the wake of natural or man-made disas- ters. We can strengthen the capacity of international agen- cies, governments, and municipal authorities by developing knowledge-based tools and guidelines for urban post-disaster reconstruction.