Facades, cluttered. Materials, uncomplimentary. Bathroom tiles glisten at the base of a facade, and glass railings on Juliet balconies cast distorted reflections of plastic triangular profiles. In Levittown, New York, the desire for symmetry is often present but rarely achieved. Here, the iconic image of the American dream house is simultaneously broken and multiplied, and now it’s selling for over a million bucks.
The infamous postwar suburb that standardized midcentury ills like sprawl, white flight, and exclusionary zoning broke ground in 1947 and initially catered to middle-class families looking for a fresh start. A starter home—mass-produced, balloon-frame, and endlessly replicated—originally sold for around $8,000 (about $110,500
→ Continue reading at The Architect's Newspaper
