Living in transition – the legacy of the single-family home

Hardly any other form of housing is as deeply rooted in our collective imagination as the single-family home. It stands for freedom, security and self-realization – especially in the west of Austria, for example in Vorarlberg, where the proverbial “Schaffa, schaffa, Hüsle baua” (work, work, build a house) has not faded away, but is still considered a way of life in many places and is advertised as a model for success.
But this is precisely where the criticism comes in: While experts are increasingly calling for a rethink, the single-family home remains firmly anchored both socially and economically – with sometimes problematic consequences. As part of our research laboratories "F-Lab", a team in our Bregenz office produced the study “The legacy of the single-family home”. The article creates space for reflection, criticism and new perspectives on a form of housing caught between ideal and reality.
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