August 30, 2003
Elmwood and Bidwell Pkwy., Buffalo, NY

Donald MacDonald
"A New Cottage for the City"

Architect Donald MacDonald is the author of a book entitled "Democratic Architecture." His notion of democracy is to provide housing for all levels of society - from the poorest to the richest - and he has focused on designing housing for the lower spectrum.

Initially, he was mostly interested in his home city of San Francisco, although his book is an attempt to spread his ideas to a wider audience.

While many cities, including Buffalo, are attempting to lure more middle class nuclear families by requiring larger lot sizes and homes in zoning laws, McDonald argues that this is a fruitless attempt. Most city residents, often an many as 80%, are single or couples without children under 18.

MacDonald has made a career of building small cottages for San Francisco and other cities. These cottages have little or no front or back yards, and that's what most city residents want, he argues. His success provides powerful evidence for his views.