Completed in 1967 as part of the Montreal Expo's, Habitat 67 takes advantage of prefabricated concrete construction by manufacturing 'boxes' of living units that are assembled on site and clustered to provide many terraces and balconies as a prototype for a new type of high-density urban housing that retains many attractions of suburbuan living (private outdoor space, visual and auditory privacy). The housing complex turned out to be more expensive than expected and in recent years has been troubled with maintenance and repair issues since the concrete has begun to show noticeable signs of aging. Initially conceived as a low-cost solution of factory-made housing units, the cost of living at Expo today is significantly higher, in part due to its architectural cachet. I've lived in Montreal for almost four years now and had yet to visit this landmark until this week - it was interesting to hear the perspective from a resident who has lived in Expo for many years, and although the building itself is not without some disappointments, it was certainly an exciting and enjoyable visit. Even if it has fallen short of its aspirations to foster a new way of affordable, dense urban living, Habitat 67 is a testament to the powerful possibilities offered by prefab concrete construction. Thanks go to Hyfen for processing inspiration

The pilot project of Moshe Safdie’s mission to reinvent apartment living became mired in controversy – yet it remains a functioning icon of 1960s utopianism

Developed for the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, this utopian modular-housing system married urban density with the spaciousness and individuality of suburban houses.