Why Do We Live in Houses?

Because it's what people want, says author Witold Rybczynski. (i.e., it's a "cultural thing".)

Rybczynski traces back to the medieval town dwelling, "which combined living space and workplace, and was occupied by a mixture of extended families, servants, and employees."

This started to change in 17th-century Europe, he says, when people "began to live and work in separate places; children grew up with their parents (rather than being apprenticed to strangers, as before); and the home, securely under the control of what we would now call the "housewife," was restricted to the immediate family."

17th-century Dutch cities and towns were composed almost entirely of houses built in rows, side by side. The tradition of "row houses" then spread to England and Wales, and other countries, including the United States.

Today, 75% of Americans live in houses. But what kind of home do they prefer according to Rybczynski? Tomorrow, we'll look at the choices....

Source: Slate