The NY Times reports on Hans Zwimpfer solution to suburban sprawl. His Idea takes L shapes living blocks and stacks them while keeping the ideals of a single home intact; space, privacy, a yard.
Breaking down the design, pre-fab sets of dwelling spaces that can be stacked like a tetris puzzle, creating a unique block of living units. Hans states that this model allows for "the comforts of suburban living, with the convenience and ecological benefits of urban density."
So one is left to ask, how is this different from living in an cement walled apartment building or condo? Hans states that the outside walls of the block are load bearing allowing the resident to change the interior to fit their needs. Some of the fundamental reasons why people by single family homes are still left un-addressed. The land is still communal land, privacy issues are not solved as you still share parking and land, and I would only think you can build up or to the side, but if someone live above or below, I'm sure it isn't as easy if you were living on your own land.
What is even more interesting is Hans has patent the idea. I must be missing something here. I do not see a difference between this and any other stacked block construction. Well we all know all you have to do is change one thing and the patent is hard to enforce, especially in architecture where architects are learning and improving each other designs.
Read the NY times Article
No thanks. I do not find this the least bit appealing.