Munich Builds New Housing Over Parking Lots

In today's renting climate, some city-dwellers might be willing to try new land-use arrangements for a cheaper place to live. Feargus O'Sullivan writes about such a development in Munich, Germany. "This month, the city announced a plan to build a 120-unit apartment complex atop a swimming pool parking lot. It's not just the location that's innovative. Instead of a standard steel frame, the new building's four floors will be built using wood." 

While Munich rents aren't Europe's highest, affordability is a relative term. "Much of the force behind these plans to create more affordable housing comes directly from public pressure. A recent survey shows that Munich residents are more pessimistic about their ability to find affordable housing than people in any other European city, after Paris."

Residents of the new structure will have to do without parking of their own, but many don't drive anyway. "The lot below the building is designed to serve the swimming complex, not future tenants. In a city with excellent public transit like Munich, that's not a problem."