Could More Beautiful Buildings Help Break the Housing Construction Loop?

An article in Works in Progress is cited in an analysis arguing that difficulty building is not only a cost problem: unattractive development can trigger neighborhood opposition and more regulation, raising costs further and encouraging additional cost-cutting and lower-quality construction.

The analysis suggests that better-looking buildings could increase public enthusiasm for development and help reverse this cycle. It points to emerging projects by a Europe-based architect, combining historical inspiration with new approaches to buildings, and projects being built by a real-estate developer in the American Southwest as possible models. The discussion does not establish whether this reversal will occur or identify the specific projects.