Apartment living
I have lived in apartments in Australia, Thailand, South Korea, Nigeria, China and Gran Canaria. When I mention the advantage of apartment living to one of my brothers he insists a house is better. As the song goes ‘taint necessarily so”.
My first apartment in South Korea was for one person. It was compact but well designed and adequate for its purpose. As I was going to not be just one I needed another and the next was a good size for two people and then the third was a good size for two plus a small person.
Apartments being built in Gwangju
Australia’s fixation with building two bedroom apartments only needs fixing.
In China the twelve storey building had studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments with restaurant and a supermarket underneath. Very convenient. Plus a bevy of busses going all over out the front.
The village I lived in at South Korea was within 20 km of the middle of Seoul and when I was there had only small apartment buildings but was beginning construction of a typical 21 storey building. There are forests of these in parts of Korea and now you can see them on Google maps in the village I was in.
Apartments in Daejon from the train. The foreground domes contain crops.
There is now a forest of apartments now in the village.
This is within 20 km of the centre of Seoul and is part of the Seoul Capital Area which has a radius of 60 km and has a population of 25 million. Note that this is Australia’s population.
Melbourne is about 10,000 km2. The Seoul Capital Area is about 11,000 km2. Melbourne has about 5 million people.
It is obvious that at present density rates Melbourne will have a ridiculously large area as its population increases.
We obviously need to be singing;
C’mon Aussie, Go Up, Go Up
C’mon Aussie, Go Up.
By increasing housing density services such as for people transport become more feasible and frequent which benefits those not wanting to use cars including those needing social housing. Going up should include much more social housing built nearer where services are available at rents which are affordable.
The ABC has an article which prompted my discourse.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-19/crowded-cities-we-can-make-density-so-much-better/11976458
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