Why North America Can't Build Nice Apartments (yewtu.be)

submitted 11 months ago by newerAccountWhoDis@hexbear.net to c/urbanism@hexbear.net

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Everytime I think I know all stupid regulations that prevent good city building, a new one comes right around the corner :jane-jacobs-disgost:

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[-] Budwig_v_1337hoven@hexbear.net 10 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I lived in one of those beautiful looking Dutch apartments for a while. They kinda suck, tbh. Extremely steep stairs, high ceilings with big windows (have fun heating) and the smallest shitters you can imagine. Friend of mine couldn't even close the door (which lead right into the hallway). The kitchens also usually sucked. The whole look is based on taxing the width of the street-facing side, so these houses are all loong tube-shaped and way too much of the theoretically useful l space is just stairs/hallways. Also, fucking fake fireplaces in every room, cutting off one of four corners, making it even less usable.

Tbf it was all landlord's special extra plus for students but the floorplan doesn't really change in the nicer ones - and it was a bad one. Old Dutch houses may look pretty from the outside but they waste so much space on the inside, it's infuriating

Edit: Also I didn't watch the video, sorry. The power of the thumbnail just compelled me to leave this comment

[-] newerAccountWhoDis@hexbear.net 6 points 11 months ago

Really depends on your priorities (e.g. aesthetics vs. comfort).

Extremely steep stairs

are quite space efficient, and if you can't walk those, chances are less steep stairs are difficult too. That's why stairlifts exist.

high ceilings with big windows

are the most important feature in an apartment for me. I don't like the claustrophobic feel of modern low ceilings, and windows have gotten smaller in the 50s and are now ridiculously big but without the intricate features or good proportions of pre war buildings, which were perfected over time and make for nice, bright living quarters.

High ceilings are also much more comfortable in the heat of the coming climate, and I don't have the money to really heat my apartment anyway so I use blankets and hot bottles.

I'm absolutely with you on the shitty landlords' special. Fake fireplaces are neither original nor necessary and usually only there to increase the rent.

Also I didn't watch the video, sorry. The power of the thumbnail just compelled me to leave this comment

The video has the single message that enforcing a lot of internal circulation leads to the development of bigger apartment blocks with mostly one bedroom apartments. Allowing a single staircase (which isn't a security risk any more thanks to better fire prevention measures) makes it possible to develop a variety of apartment layouts and generally build more housing.

[-] carpoftruth@hexbear.net 3 points 11 months ago

these houses are all loong tube-shaped and way too much of the theoretically useful l space is just stairs/hallways

I find this really annoying as well.

[-] Cummunism@hexbear.net 7 points 11 months ago

im quite ok with having two staircases so people don't burn to death and have more ways to get out. new buildings don't have outside fire escapes from what i've seen. the worst thing is apartments that have a flat roof. they act like water isn't an issue at all.

[-] newerAccountWhoDis@hexbear.net 7 points 11 months ago

the worst thing is apartments that have a flat roof. they act like water isn't an issue at all.

Flat roofs have gotten quite good lately. In Europe, modern flat roofs have an almost 200 year history (look up Berliner Dach for examples) and if they are well executed, there are no issues. The bigger issue with modern building techniques is the omission of constructive building protection (e.g. roof overhang, which protects buildings from driving rain) And instead an overreliance on modern materials.

[-] voight@hexbear.net 5 points 11 months ago

but then vagrants might be able to shelter beneath 😱

[-] newerAccountWhoDis@hexbear.net 7 points 11 months ago

Imagine omitting this tiny roof overhang, accepting structural damage, just because you hate homeless people

[-] iridaniotter@hexbear.net 5 points 11 months ago

im quite ok with having two staircases so people don't burn to death and have more ways to get out.

The video addresses this seven minutes in... despite requiring two staircases, the US is not exceptionally safe when it comes to deaths from fire. Austria, Italy, and the Netherlands all outperform.

[-] Cummunism@hexbear.net 4 points 11 months ago

i think the only bad thing about this chart is that it probably covers all fire deaths and not just apartments.

[-] Pluto@hexbear.net 3 points 11 months ago

I'll give it a watch. Thanks, fam.

[-] shath@hexbear.net 3 points 11 months ago

these same apartments are everywhere fam

[-] newerAccountWhoDis@hexbear.net 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Not exactly

Another example of an apartment building that's illegal to build in North America

However, since capitalism permeates everything and cars ruined space efficient building and planning practices, USian non-spaces are spreading everywhere. It's just that regulations in the US are exceptionally supportive of capitalist extraction.