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Comment by Mithaldu | Hacker News Reader

As a fellow german i found this out long ago: Different architecture. Americans tend to build less multi-story apartment buildings, and more small one-family buildings, so the density of available housing per mile is really low even in settled areas, compared to the average german city.

Look at this: https://www.google.de/search?q=suburban+hell&tbm=isch

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It's a reflection of American individuality, which sort of turns into selfishness and isolationist at some point. Everyone must have their own front/back yard. Everyone must own a car, which in turn is housed in its own garage, which itself is its own sanctuary cum creative space, so much so that most music bands start rehearsing in garages, businesses start in garages, etc. Garages also double as storage rooms for home maintenance tools, machining equipment, car repair, and everything a "man" must have. The average American home can supply all the tools necessary to start a small, home-repair business. Why does everyone need a 12' ladder just to clean the gutters once a year? Why no borrow/rent?

It's true what you say but having spent a reasonable amount of time in Asia I always wonder why we don't build higher here in Berlin. There is a huge housing shortage and they wanted to build apartments on Tempelhoferfeld. That is just absurd when there is tons of prime but underutilized real estate on Köpenickerstrasse. It would probably be possible to completely (albeit temporarily) relieve Berlins housing crisis by building up the derelict areas along the river with 30+ level towers. That way it would be possible to preserve the pristine park and semi-wild greenery that helps make Berlin such a wonderful place to live.

At a guess: Because Berlin's housing market is very cheap and prices can't be easily raised, so there isn't much money available for building up.

I'm not an expert but is it really more expensive to build up rather than out given the state of technology today? Surely the cost of land alone is enough of an incentive to build up? Also Berlin's real estate market is increasing in price steadily. There is huge competition for every rental flat on the market inside the ring. This seems like a good opportunity to increase volume to meet demand as would happen in a perfect market. I would imagine the increase in volume (and the revenue that comes with it) would alone be worth building up?

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