Cities all around the world are having issues creating enough new housing. Often the go to solution is to suggest new high rise buildings. But, is this the only way to increase density? Is it possible to create a denser development but still keep the height down? As some of the top architects London has, we want to take a look at this.

It is possible

What may surprise many people is this kind of proposal is actually possible. In fact, with the right design you can have dense residential areas where properties don’t exceed four or five storeys. These could provide more dense housing than the tall towers you see dominating places like Manhattan and San Francisco.

The thing to do here is make sure you can get as many residents into the building as possible. However, you can’t just create tiny homes. What you need to do is get the design right so the homes are liveable. You can also ensure you don’t waste space and get the layouts right.

More acceptable

Building dense but low rise structures is also better for political reasons. Often there is a lot of pushback against proposals for new high rises. This can happen in built up area as well as rural settings. With the first, people may reject the plans because of how they will affect the skyline and views. In rural areas the rejection may come because a new skyscraper would dominate an area that is mostly low buildings.

One of the biggest issues here is nimbyism. What it basically means is people usually don’t want high rise developments in their own neighbourhood. They can fight against proposals even when they know that it is necessary to create more housing.

Practicality

While it is possible to create low rise, high density properties, how practical is it? In truth it can often be a better option than designing a skyscraper. Squat properties are easier to fit into infill sites. They also don’t require as much work in terms of foundations and new infrastructure.

Speak to top architects in London

All of this comes back to choosing a great design. In fact we strongly believe that anything is possible with creative designs. That is exactly what we work to offer, whether it is housing, commercial buildings, or public spaces like libraries or university buildings. Our goal every time is to make the most of the space so it benefits the users.

So, if you have a project in mind, speak to us and present your ideas to some of the top architects London can offer. We would love to help you.