Assessing the Openness and Conviviality of Open Source Technology: The Case of the WikiHouse

The housing crisis has received growing interest from academia, industry, and policymakers. Open construction systems have emerged as a promising solution to achieve long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability. In this paper, extensive fieldwork was conducted to investigate a case of an open construction system, namely, the WikiHouse Den Bosch. The research framework builds on a combined view of two main concepts: conviviality and openness. The aim is to provide an in-depth understanding of the relationship between these two aspects and the literature regarding Design Global Manufacture Local. The analysis showed that conviviality and openness are complex and context-specific factors. The paper concludes by outlining the need for an institutionalized conviviality to open up new pathways for future practice to address sustainability issues.