Point Access Blocks
02/08/25
“How can we improve American and Canadian apartments with one simple design rule?”
Most places in Canada and the US require two staircases per 3+ or 4+ story apartment (respectively) to meet fire safety regulations. This forces the floor layout into a double-loaded corridor with small apartments on each side of the central hallway. However, if we were to allow apartments to carry only one staircase, we would have much more flexibility with floor geometries. This small action enables the creation of Point Access Blocks. Point access blocks maximize the usable floor area, allow daylight to hit multiple sides of a building, increase ventilation, and lower cost. The US and Canada can greatly expand affordable multifamily housing by making point access blocks easier to build.
Isaac's science blog 