Examining the first BTR scheme in Cambridge and its potential role in addressing housing accessibility and affordability challenges

London is currently facing an urgent housing crisis with the need for more affordable housing. Due to economic hardships, interest in ‘pop-ups’ has increased as a temporary method of interim use. This dissertation explores ‘meanwhile use’ as temporary usage in empty sites and aims to analyse their use as a pop-up housing model. Furthermore, the dissertation will explore if pop-up housing can be part of a practical solution in the London context. The unique PLACE / Ladywell’s pop-up village in Lewisham, South East London, will be the focused study site. It provides an in-depth ethnographic case study approach of this phenomena. The best and worst practices of PLACE / Ladywell will be further utilised as lessons learned for academic and practitioner purposes. Additionally, PLACE / Ladywell’s impact on London’s policy and planning processes along with more permanent social housing iterations, will be explored. The main dissertation findings highlight the precision manufactured housing technologies for high-quality temporary accommodation for homeless families and the next steps for the growing pop-up phenomenon.