NPR

Those 'Luxury' Condos Look A Little Drab

Condos and apartment buildings are going up in cities across the country to meet housing demands. But many of these buildings look like simple, plain boxes.
Pedestrians walk past new apartments in Los Angeles, Calif. on Oct. 12, 2017, where a new report from USC and Beacon Economics shows Southern California's housing crisis is leading to an increase in rent for Los Angeles and Orange county into 2019. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

In cities like Seattle, Boston, Denver and Charlotte, new “luxury” condos and apartment buildings are going up to meet demand for new housing. But many of these buildings look like simple, plain boxes.

Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson talks with architecture critic and author Sarah Williams ( about what makes these buildings “poor,” “boring” architecture, and how monotonous architecture actually negatively affects us.

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