Housing Density
Read this before you begin the
activity.
Density is a measure of how crowded
a space is. High density is when a space is very crowded, as in the
terraces at an important football match. Low density is when a space is not at all crowded, as on
the football pitch at a football match.
High density housing is where many families are housed in an
available space. A high-rise tower would be an example of high
density housing.
Low density housing is where very few families are housed in
an available space. A row of detached bungalows would be an example
of low density housing.
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Think about the problem a town planner or
builder has when a new and empty piece of land comes up for
development. Apart from houses, what else needs to be fitted into
the space?
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Using a sheet of squared paper, work in
pencil and mark off a square 10cm x 10cm. This is your available
building space. Think of one housing unit as 1cm square. These can
be stacked, of course, with a number in the square to show how many
units there are.
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Your task is to 'build' homes for 20
families in this space. Think of the layout of your houses and
roads and whatever else you wish to have in your plan.
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Now take a second square the same size.
This time you need to 'build' homes for 50 families. Once again,
think of the layout and about the type of housing you could
use.
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Lastly, with a third square the same size,
'build' houses for 100 families, still thinking about the layout
and the type of housing you would use.
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As you look around different modern parts
of any city you know, you will find that the planners have had to
make decisions about how many houses to fit into limited spaces.
Some parts end up with high density housing and some with low
density housing. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.
Put your own ideas in a table like the one below.
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High density housing
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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Low density housing
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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