Under construction: socio-material assemblage of informal housing in Dhaka

This study examines the construction and modification of informal housing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, focusing on the physical and social dimensions shaped by housing arrangements, materials, processes and socio-political factors. Adopting assemblage thinking, the study explores the conceptual organisation of informal housing and its implications for addressing urban informality. While informal settlements are often seen as incremental housing solutions, this study reveals the complex opportunities and constraints residents face. Despite growing recognition of informal settlements as critical housing resources, the socio-material dynamics shaping informal housing remain insufficiently explored in scholarly literature. Drawing on primary data collected through fieldwork conducted in June 2023 across three informal settlements, the research combines observational studies, semi-structured interviews, and visual methods to capture residents’ lived experiences of housing modification and construction practices. The findings highlight the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of informal housing, advocating for a more nuanced, multifaceted approach to urban informality.