The housing division of the public works administration in its architectural context

Abstract

The architectural articulation of American public housing, first introduced in 1933 as an element of the New Deal program, is analyzed with regard to the position occupied by housing within the contemporary political framework and to the administrative measures established to realize the housing program. Within the economic relief policy, housing provided an ideal focus of activity because of its potential to create jobs and low-cost shelter. The Housing Division of the Public Works Administration functioned as the government agent in the execution of the national housing venture, and as such was responsible for the development of those administrative measures deemed necessary, by them, to accomplish the task. The administrative model established, however, retained a high degree of centralized control, which in combination with the Housing Division's expansion of authority into and over architectural issues produced a uniform character which runs through all fifty Public Housing Projects initiated during the life span of the PWA Housing Division from 1933 to 1936. This uniformity of design obviated any true responsiveness to any local exigencies and hence created an anti-contextualism with regard to surrounding community structure.