pip - python, change user site directory or install setup.py --prefix with --user -

i'd want install python modules non-root user this

$ pip install -i --install-option="--prefix=~/usr" scipy 

unfortunately not work unless specify --user. --user can't used --prefix. using --user (without --prefix) installs ~/.local find ugly because have maintained ~/usr , don't want add more stuff env make ~/.local usable too.

so questions:

1. how can let --prefix , --user work setup.py or how else setup.py succeed without using --user?
2. or can change user site directory ~/.local ~/usr somehow env?

to answer first question:

in installing python modules guide written greg ward read:

note various alternate installation schemes mutually exclusive: can pass --user, or --home, or --prefix , --exec-prefix, or --install-base , --install-platbase, can’t mix these groups.

to answer second question:

in same guide there's section alternate installation: user scheme read:

files installed subdirectories of site.user_base

with site.user_base linked https://docs.python.org/2/library/site.html#site.user_base. there asked see information on pythonuserbase environment variable:

defines user base directory, used compute path of user site-packages directory , distutils installation paths python setup.py install --user.

also, might interested in the home scheme:

the idea behind “home scheme” build , maintain personal stash of python modules. scheme’s name derived idea of “home” directory on unix, since it’s not unusual unix user make home directory have layout similar /usr/ or /usr/local/.