MIT OpenCourseWare http ocw mit edu 11 941 Learning by Comparison First World Third World Cities Fall 2008 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use visit http ocw mit edu terms DESIGN Principles Practices An International Journal Volume 3 Number 4 The Impact of Urban Design Elements on the Successes and Failures of Modern Multi family Housing A Comparative Study of Robert Taylor Homes Chicago and HanGang Apart Complex Seoul Jae Seung Lee www design journal com DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL http www Design Journal com First published in 2009 in Melbourne Australia by Common Ground Publishing Pty Ltd www CommonGroundPublishing com 2009 individual papers the author s 2009 selection and editorial matter Common Ground Authors are responsible for the accuracy of citations quotations diagrams tables and maps All rights reserved Apart from fair use for the purposes of study research criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act Australia no part of this work may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher For permissions and other inquiries please contact cg support commongroundpublishing com ISSN 1833 1874 Publisher Site http www Design Journal com DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL is peer reviewed supported by rigorous processes of criterion referenced article ranking and qualitative commentary ensuring that only intellectual work of the greatest substance and highest significance is published Typeset in Common Ground Markup Language using CGCreator multichannel typesetting system http www commongroundpublishing com software The Impact of Urban Design Elements on the Successes and Failures of Modern Multi family Housing A Comparative Study of Robert Taylor Homes Chicago and HanGang Apart Complex Seoul Jae Seung Lee Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts USA Abstract This study explores the role of urban design in the successes and failures of modern multifamily housing developments Similar housing developments which are high rise multi family apartments laid out in super blocks have been implemented around the world However their results have been polarized despite their similar urban design elements To shed light on the contribution of design elements to successful housing developments this study compares two housing projects one is Robert Taylor Homes Chicago built in 1962 which was a miserable failure that ended up with its demolition in 2005 The other is HanGang Apart Complex in Seoul which has been successful since its completion in 1971 and catalyzed massive developments of Apart which is an abbreviation for apartment in Seoul The different outcomes of the two similar projects raise the following questions What are the design elements that contributed to the successes and failures of modern multi family housing In what ways did these design elements influence the two housing projects The goal of this study is to gain insight into better urban design strategies for housing development in two cities Chicago and Seoul To offer recommendations for urban designers and planners the urban design theories are applied and modified to the findings drawn from the comparative analysis of the two projects The study argues the following spatial distinction and sequence through a series of territory promote the sense of neighborhood and ownership linear retail strips invite not only residents but also strangers which creates a vibrant public space and encourages more social activities strategically enclosed neighborhood public spaces under natural surveillance provide amenities and promote social activities diverse unit sizes and types invite various people in terms of income levels or occupations thus supporting mixed income neighborhoods Keywords Urban Design Modern Multi Family Housing Chicago Seoul Comparative Study Territoriality Linear Retail Strip Neighborhood Public Space Diverse Housing Choices Overview HIS PAPER EXPLORES the role of urban design in the successes and failures of modern multi family housing developments Similar housing developments which are high rise multi family apartments laid out in super blocks have been implemented around the world However their results have been polarized Through an analytical framework this study investigates two housing projects one is Robert Taylor Homes Chicago built in 1962 which was a miserable failure that ended up with its demolition in 2005 The other is HanGang Apart Complex in Seoul which has been successful since its completion in 1971 The different outcomes of two similar projects raise the following T Design Principles and Practices An International Journal Volume 3 Number 4 2009 http www Design Journal com ISSN 1833 1874 Common Ground Jae Seung Lee All Rights Reserved Permissions cg support commongroundpublishing com DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL questions What are the design elements that contributed to the successes and failures of modern multi family housing In what ways did these design elements influence the two housing projects The goal of this study is to gain insight into better urban design strategies for housing development in two cities Chicago and Seoul To offer recommendations for urban designers and planners the urban design theories are applied and modified to the findings drawn from the comparative analysis of the two projects The study argues the following spatial distinction and sequence through the sense of territory promote the sense of neighborhood and ownership and keep neighborhoods defensible linear retail strips invite not only residents but also strangers which creates a vibrant public space strategically enclosed neighborhood public spaces under natural surveillance provide amenities and promote social activities available choices of housing accommodate the diversity of communities by meeting needs and preferences of the residents Figure 0 Left The Aerial View of Robert Taylor Homes Source http www angelfire com Right The Aerial View of Hangang Apart Comple Background How can urban design contribute to successful housing developments This is a study of urban design s role in the successes and failures of modern multi family housing The modern multi family housing development derived from Le Corbusier s vision of modern cities Tower in the Park which proposed cities that consist of high rise buildings in landscapes such as parks Another master of modern architecture