Archinect - Features 2024-05-03T18:24:46-04:00 https://archinect.com/features/article/150277717/a-house-of-cards-the-miami-condo-collapse-exposes-a-dehumanized-mindset-in-the-built-environment A House of Cards: The Miami Condo Collapse Exposes a Dehumanized Mindset in the Built Environment Niall Patrick Walsh 2021-08-17T08:00:00-04:00 >2024-03-12T16:56:31-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/3c/3c8173ed7da1a2376563a912435a268b.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>On June 24th, 2021, the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1777399/miami-condo-collapse" target="_blank">Champlain Towers South condo building</a> in Surfside, Miami collapsed, killing 98 people. While the causes of the collapse are still under investigation, the building's history of structural deficiencies is likely to have played a part. The Champlain Towers collapse is only the latest in a series of fatal building catastrophes which could have been prevented with proper oversight. In their wake, the continuing deterioration of our buildings and infrastructure causes us to ask if the commodification of buildings as real estate, and <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150276098/hudson-yards-vessel-is-a-sinking-ship-when-developers-fail-to-listen-tragedy-casts-a-long-shadow" target="_blank">exercises in wealth creation</a>, has caused us to lose sight of architecture's primary role as shelter and habitat.</p>