Housing Intensification - Apartment Design

[Brent George]

Why can't we have nice apartments? Lack of aspiration, says Ockham co-founder
Stuff - Property: 30-July-2023

A new apartment block on Auckland’s quiet Finch St has been lauded by local MP Chlöe Swarbrick as “a vision of density”. Its developer, Mark Todd, says there’s a lack of aspiration in the property market.
Mark Todd says he was an apartment convert at least a decade before he went on to co-found Ockham Residential, one of Auckland’s most notable dense housing developers.

He loved living at Westminster Court on Parliament St next to Auckland’s High Court: “Bored? Want to do something? Press the button on the elevator and walk outside," he says.

[Brent George]

Flat roofs, internal gutters, no eaves: What the experts say
Stuff - Lifestyle: 1-Aug-2023

Twenty-plus years ago, we all got alarmed as 10-year-old house builds began to fail in massive numbers and the leaky home scenario hit its stride.

It soon became apparent this was down to a combination of materials, design, and construction techniques that allowed water, dampness, and eventually mould and rot to seep into homes. In the years since, we have seen thousands of these houses rebuilt at considerable expense, or demolished. And remediation work is ongoing.

But, when it comes to new houses, a lot has changed. Choosing to build a house with a flat roof, no eaves, internal gutters or loads of glazing does not automatically mean you’re headed for trouble or poor energy efficiency, as many may assume.

[But why build houses with internal gutters etc if the reliance is on regular maintenance to keep these systems working properly? 
In leafy suburbs (large green trees are good for the environment remember) the maintenance will be twice yearly at least.  For a DIY'er, that means climbing ladders and working at height - probably with water to flush the system, thereby introducing health & safety issues. 
And who is at fault when the maintenance is not done?  Or will an inundation be blamed by a contractor/builder on 'deferred maintenance'?