Conclusion

Urban regions, such as Seattle and San Francisco, that are attempting to create living spaces for a huge number of people, in a condensed area, all primarily have the same issue when trying to compliment availability with affordability. In the U-District, housing demand is driven by the large and diverse student body of the University of Washington but space and living appeal dwindles every year as more multi-unit apartments are built to satisfy the school's need. The social and economic trends are constantly changing around the U-District because the student body is always changing and creating a desire for soemthing new. These social changes can be mirrored onto other historical events that effected Seattle in the past, such as World War II or Seattle World's fair that set precedence for the changes we witness today.

This project has helped me identify the main forces behind urban development that I originally never considered. In the U-District, urban changes are driven by other outside entities that require urban renewal other than just architrectural prowess. I hope that through this exhibit it is more clear that cities are not just built on a whim from the ground up but that lots of careful planning must go into each decision in order for developments to successfully benefit those who live in these areas.