>>Queen laying restriction will encourage swarming instinct, not 
restrict it.

I am not sure about this.  In many European countries where periods 
of nectar shortage are very predictable and long, beekeepers with 
bees that don't slow down brooding use 'frame cages.'  The queen is 
often allowed to lay only in 4 frames and the colony will maintain a 
good size field force that's mostly idle for the duration.  Swarming 
is said to be a thing of the past.  [I have not tried this myself.]  

>>Perhaps the better thing to do is keep 4 mating NUCs instead of a 
full frame nuc.

I like this idea!  I wonder if a 2-frame nuc would be as good.  
Honestly, I never tried maintaining queens in such small structures 
for extended periods of time.

A 2-frame nuc in a 5-frame hive body (the rest of the box closed off 
to the bees during the busy season) could be given additional 3 
frames in the second part of the summer in order to establish a 
sufficient overwintering cluster... 

>>Swarms are undesirable but a small swarm is better than a large one 
in urban conditions.

Indeed.  The smaller colony would be much easier to inspect [if only 
to cut out swarm cells once a week].  The wife said she was very 
interested in learning about bees.

>>Maybe a stupid idea, but I think it would work for your friend's 
needs and give him/her a constant supply of bees...

Not at all.  Thank you!!

Waldemar

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