Basic Living. Kooperatives Wettbewerbsverfahren

Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Wohnbau TU Graz Andreas Lichtblau (Ed.)
Graz: Publishing Company of Graz University of Technology, 2022
German, 447 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-3-85125-878-3
EUR 70.00

In an urban environment, the themes of rising housing costs, and the increasing individualization and lack of solidarity in society have a common denominator that is a deciding factor in each case: density. This connection can be traced back to the value of the physical land and the ratio of people and space but is also distinguished in two forms whose interdependence cannot be clearly defined: spatial and social density. A degree of spatial density is a precondition of social proximity. If distances are too large, the opportunity for social “meeting” is minimal. An “excess” of spatial density can cause people to isolate themselves voluntarily, withdrawing when they feel “too cramped.” The feeling of “crowding” provoked by excessive spatial density has claustrophobic effects and causes physical and psychological stress.