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I don't understand high density housing in low density neighborhoods with huge empty lawns. Seems an artificial, Le Corbusier style of utopia where the actual i

I don't understand high density housing in low density neighborhoods with huge empty lawns. Seems an artificial, Le Corbusier style of utopia where the actual inhabitants are forced to conform to the architect's vision of how they should live. When people want to escape suburbia, the natural higher density option is the 2-3 story terrace, rows of individual homes that share lateral walls and have front access to the street and a back yard. Owning your own personal yard and trees is an immense quality of life factor compared to a cramped apartment and a balcony. The next, even higher density option I've seen in some european cities is to squeeze the frontal street, remove all parking there and move it in the back yards. A concrete slab covers the back parking and the backyard is effectively elevated one flood into the air. This produces a dense, walkable urban environment with comfortable individual houses, each with a lot on the order of 150 square meters (1600 sq feet).

Elr 5y ago
Fermont was founded as a company town when they opened the Mont Wright mine and most homes were under the ownership of the company (Québec Cartier back then, now ArcelorMittal). Take this with a grain of salt, but I believe a big percentage of the habitations still are under their ownership. A lot of split houses were built in the last 10 years and if you work for the company and accept to transfer to Fermont, they offer you to live in the house for cheaper and offers you to buy it for a reasonable price after a few years. It is a small compact town, but as soon as you leave, you're in the wilderness. It's paradise.
TulliusCicero 5y ago
Yeah the setup they got there is weird. > The next, even higher density option I've seen in some european cities is to squeeze the frontal street, remove all parking there and move it in the back yards. I lived in Munich and it seemed like the default was almost always having underground parking. Our first place was in an apartment complex of maybe 10 units, and it had its own underground parking garage. Next place was a backyard duplex with a 6-unit complex in front, and this combined complex also had an underground parking garage. I'm not sure I've ever seen tiny little underground parking garages like this in the states for small multi-family housing buildings, but in Munich they were everywhere.
- manholio 5y ago
  In high density cities, the idea of covering the unsightly parking and keep the people and greenery out into the sun is a no brainer. It's even better for the car. But in some cities, for example highly priced London areas, people have been starting to do the opposite: they dig lavish basements at enormous expense and keep large front lawns and wide streets with ample parking spaces, all in the name of preservation of the area's "character", as understood by the local council doing the permitting. Humans are a wierd bunch.
  - TulliusCicero 5y ago
    > In high density cities, the idea of covering the unsightly parking and keep the people and greenery out into the sun is a no brainer. I get the impression that this style of development is common even in somewhat lower density areas. People in Germany just don't like the seas of asphalt so common in the states.

Elr 5y ago

Fermont was founded as a company town when they opened the Mont Wright mine and most homes were under the ownership of the company (Québec Cartier back then, now ArcelorMittal). Take this with a grain of salt, but I believe a big percentage of the habitations still are under their ownership. A lot of split houses were built in the last 10 years and if you work for the company and accept to transfer to Fermont, they offer you to live in the house for cheaper and offers you to buy it for a reasonable price after a few years. It is a small compact town, but as soon as you leave, you're in the wilderness. It's paradise.

TulliusCicero 5y ago

Yeah the setup they got there is weird. > The next, even higher density option I've seen in some european cities is to squeeze the frontal street, remove all parking there and move it in the back yards. I lived in Munich and it seemed like the default was almost always having underground parking. Our first place was in an apartment complex of maybe 10 units, and it had its own underground parking garage. Next place was a backyard duplex with a 6-unit complex in front, and this combined complex also had an underground parking garage. I'm not sure I've ever seen tiny little underground parking garages like this in the states for small multi-family housing buildings, but in Munich they were everywhere.

manholio 5y ago
In high density cities, the idea of covering the unsightly parking and keep the people and greenery out into the sun is a no brainer. It's even better for the car. But in some cities, for example highly priced London areas, people have been starting to do the opposite: they dig lavish basements at enormous expense and keep large front lawns and wide streets with ample parking spaces, all in the name of preservation of the area's "character", as understood by the local council doing the permitting. Humans are a wierd bunch.
- TulliusCicero 5y ago
  > In high density cities, the idea of covering the unsightly parking and keep the people and greenery out into the sun is a no brainer. I get the impression that this style of development is common even in somewhat lower density areas. People in Germany just don't like the seas of asphalt so common in the states.