ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author suggests that parents with young children on upper floors were hindered in their social interaction, were more confined to their dwelling unit with their children, and were therefore more emotionally stressed. Highrise mothers were thought to feel lonely and isolated because of this confinement and because their housing provided no communal meeting spaces and discouraged neighborly contacts. Highrise buildings were criticized for engendering a sense of social detachment and a lack of accountability leading to vandalism and crime. The author examines the experience of middle-income families with young children in some well-regarded and reportedly well-designed highrise sites in a good neighborhood. She illustrates the benefits of well-designed highrise housing for middle-income families. Well-designed and well-managed urban highrises not only provide an important and satisfying housing option for middle-income families, but also have a positive impact on family dynamics.
