Why So Many Banal Boxes? Because Architecture Reflects the Ethos of Its Time

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

Why So Many Banal Boxes? Because Architecture Reflects the Ethos of Its Time
Hidden Boxes Residential Building / KaSa Office. Image © Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh Hidden Boxes Residential Building / KaSa Office. Image © Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

The whining of architects is futile. The stick-frame-over-podium building—the so-called 5-over-1—is here to stay. The Box, as I like to refer to it, utilizes the hybrid technology of a concrete-and-steel base below wood-frame construction, and is used predominantly for market-rate housing. Despite the common negative reaction to its banal aesthetics, the appeal to a large segment of apartment consumers is undeniable. It’s an obvious hit with developers, too.

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