Emergent Urbanism

Rediscovering Urban Complexity

housing crisis

Squatter urbanism comes to America

Submitted by Mathieu Helie on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 14:35, last updated Mon, 09/05/2011 - 21:47

In previous posts I argued that the only way a modern housing subdivision was possible was by the creation of a permanent, extreme housing crisis by the authorities attempting to control development. Now this housing crisis is catching up with American cities and a phenomenon that was until then limited to dysfunctional third world countries, squatter camps, is popping up all over the country.

How is a subdivision possible?

Submitted by Mathieu Helie on Fri, 11/30/2007 - 18:02, last updated Sun, 11/06/2011 - 01:10

The subdivision is the dominant building typology of contemporary urbanism. The prototype subdivision was Levittown, Long Island New York State. Built for soldiers returning from the war, it served the role of emergency housing in a crowded post-war. In that sense, the mass-produced uniform housing estate had a useful purpose.

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