August 7, 2007

Book Review - New Urban Housing

City planners and architects are interested in the way that people interact with the spaces around them. One author suggests that building homes where people can take care of business while interacting with nature will reinvigorate urban areas.

New Urban Housing
Hilary French
NA 7110.F73 2006

French focuses on revitalizing urban areas through architecture. Her book, full of illustrations and floorplan drawings, provides examples of housing options for cities which integrate living with other social functions. She suggests that apartments and other urban living spaces not only be practical, but also attractive, accessible to business centers, and appreciative of nature. Most of her examples come from European cities, but there are several examples of how socially-aware modern design has been incorporated into large American cities also.