„Housing is not a problem. It has either been
completely solved or totally left to chance: in the first case it is legal, in
the second „illegal“; in the first case, towers or, usually, slaps (at the
most, 15 meters deep), in the second (in perfect complementarity) a crust of
improvised hovels.
One solution consumes the sky, the other the ground. It is strange that those with the least money inhabit the most expensive commodity – earth; those who pay, what is free – air.
In either case, housing proves to be surprisingly accommodating – not only does the population double every so many years, but also, with the loosening grip of the various religions, the average number of occupants per unit halves – through divorce and other family dividing phenomena – with the same frequency that the city’s population doubles; as it’s numbers swell, the Generic City’s is perpetually on the decrease.
Rem Koolhaas on Urbanism; S,M,L,XL
One solution consumes the sky, the other the ground. It is strange that those with the least money inhabit the most expensive commodity – earth; those who pay, what is free – air.
In either case, housing proves to be surprisingly accommodating – not only does the population double every so many years, but also, with the loosening grip of the various religions, the average number of occupants per unit halves – through divorce and other family dividing phenomena – with the same frequency that the city’s population doubles; as it’s numbers swell, the Generic City’s is perpetually on the decrease.
Rem Koolhaas on Urbanism; S,M,L,XL
In regard to Rem Koolhaass's cynical view on urbanism my consideration for a future city deals with the gap between the rich and the poor. I'd like to continue Koolhaas's thoughts, who observes that in the contemporary city the ones with the least money occupy the most precious space - the ground. While the ones who are in control (of economical and financial means) occupy whats free - the sky.
What would happen if this situation escalates?
This scenario would let the poor take over the streets and give them complete control over their new domain. Anarchy and illegal housing would become typical for this part of society. The rich and powerful, however, will try to sustain their idea of order and organization. This other part of society will therefore try to create a new system in which life will solely take place in modern, high-rising and shining towers.
