A study by ETH Zurich proposes an urban model that prevents expansion into green areas. The key lies in building medium-height housing blocks, six to nine stories, without the need to demolish existing buildings. For citizens, this means more housing without losing their current quality of life, preserving the neighborhood's character, and avoiding the typical concrete jungle.
Density without height: the engineering of controlled vertical growth 🏗️
The technical approach is based on a load-bearing capacity analysis of the current urban soil. Medium-height blocks, as opposed to skyscrapers, reduce pressure on infrastructure such as sewage systems and the electrical grid. The study uses simulation models to integrate new units into inner courtyards or onto existing structures, maximizing density without overloading the environment. It is a solution that prioritizes structural efficiency and long-term sustainability.
And the neighbor on the fifth floor now has a penthouse on the rooftop 😅
The plan sounds idyllic, until you imagine the landlord announcing that your beloved light well is turning into a micro-apartment with a view of the seventh floor's clothesline. The good thing is that, at least, we won't have to move to the suburbs to live in a block of flats identical to the one in the city, only surrounded by fields. In the end, the neighborhood keeps its character, and you, your same old mortgage.