Is There a Future for Low-Rise High-Density Housing?

"'Low Rise High Density' is the brainchild of curator Karen Kubey, executive director of the IPA, who began her research on the topic while a student at Columbia University’s GSAPP," writes Sabrina Wirth. The exhibit, "examines the history of a typology that sprung up 40 years ago, when the need for space and better living conditions led to alternatives to high-rise public housing."

"Modeled a bit after suburban homes, these low-rise high-density buildings reached prominence in the 1970s," explains Wirth. "This type of housing serves two functions: 1) to intensify land use as urban growth escalates by providing higher density; and 2) to improve living conditions by using suburban housing characteristics such as more open space, more light, and a closer connection to the ground."

"Through a curated set of photographs, architectural drawings, and original oral histories, 'Low Rise High Density' brings into context a housing model that lacks significant contemporary scholarship."