Towers in the park

It is based on an ideology popularised by Le Corbusier with the Plan Voisin, an expansion of the Garden city movement aimed at reducing the problem of urban congestion.

The footprint was designed with simple geometry to minimise construction costs whilst maximising light, air, and views of the surrounding open space for occupants, sometimes including balconies for the apartments.

Redevelopment of the complexes typically favour the antithesis of towers in the park ideology, mixed-use development, which is said to have more positive social outcomes including making people feel safer and more integrated with their community.

[6] Neighbourhoods like St. James Town were originally designed to house young "swinging single" middle class residents, but the apartments lacked appeal and the area quickly became much poorer.

From its early days of implementation the concept was criticised for making residents feel unsafe, including large empty common areas dominated by gang culture and crime.