Karrie Jacobs was founding editor-in-chief of Dwell Magazine, and writes a column for Metropolis. Her book, "The Perfect $100,000 House," will be published by Viking next summer.
From affordable housing to beautiful highways and computer-monitor gargoyles, the Big Idea looks at architecture and design ideas to build a future around.
Affordable housing -- more necessary now, post-Katrina -- is not just better than it used to be, it can be more stylish than any garden-variety McMansion.
