From lived phenotype to cultural genotype: A space syntax analysis of social housing appropriation in Tazoult, Batna, Algeria

Algerian social housing, inherited from modernist paradigms, is undergoing extensive appropriation as residents modify standardized architectural phenotypes. While often dismissed as informal disorder, this study reframes these transformations as deliberate acts of cultural inscription. The authors posit that these appropriations, far from being random, follow a deep structural logic and converge towards an identifiable socio-spatial configuration. To test this hypothesis, a mixed-methods approach was deployed in Tazoult, Batna. First, a qualitative survey of 150 units documented and modeled 17 recurring ?lived phenotypes.? Subsequently, these configurations were quantitatively compared against the original ?designed? plans and traditional houses, serving as a cultural benchmark using Space Syntax. Comparative analysis reveals a distinct trajectory: lived phenotypes systematically diverge from the initial designed genotype, which is characterized by tree-like topologies and the dominance of circulation spaces. Instead, they converge towards a local genotype defined by the primacy of ring-like structures, the centrality of living spaces, and a dialectic of integration and segregation. These principles bear striking similarities to traditional housing, particularly in their recreation of the Ghorfat n?ilmas (the polyvalent central hearth room). Ultimately, this research provides quantitative evidence that appropriation acts as a cultural rewriting of space. By translating qualitative needs into objective configurational principles, this study offers an empirical knowledge base for designing adaptable and socially relevant housing.