V.PETROVIĆ ET AL.: COOKIE-CUTTER SUBURBS OR IS THE COPY-PASTE HOUSING REALLY HUMAN? ICUP 2025  PROCEEDINGS  Nis: April 2025 349 COOKIE-CUTTER SUBURBS OR IS THE COPY-PASTE HOUSING REALLY HUMAN? Vladana Petrović Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš, Serbia Ph.D., Teaching assistant, vladana.petrovic@gaf.ni.ac.rs Hristina Krstić Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš, Serbia Ph.D., Assistant professor, hristina.krstic@gaf.ni.ac.rs Branislava Stoiljković Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš, Serbia Ph.D., Associate Professor, branislava.stoiljkovic@gaf.ni.ac.rs ABSTRACT Cookie-cutter suburbs, also known as tract housing, represent a planning model widely implemented across the globe, particularly in suburban areas of cities experiencing significant urban growth and the resulting demand for affordable housing. The mass construction of uniform residential neighbourhoods emerged as a popular approach in the latter half of the 20th century in United States and Canada, later spreading to other countries. This model facilitated the rapid, efficient, and relatively inexpensive provision of housing for large populations. From an architectural perspective, the development of such large-scale neighbourhoods presents numerous challenges, including a lack of individuality, the monotony of form, limited spatial flexibility, and various environmental issues. The aim of this paper is to explore, through the analysis of selected case studies of cookie-cutter suburbs to determine whether these developments, despite their negative architectural attributes, offer specific advantages for residents. Keywords: suburbanization, cookie-cutter housing, tract housing, suburbs, mass- produced housing, individuality. 1. INTRODUCTION The second half of the twentieth century witnessed the extensive development of residential neighborhoods characterized by the repetitive use of identical architectural housing models. These neighborhoods initially emerged as suburban extensions of major cities in the aftermath of World War II, primarily in response to the growing demand for affordable housing. However, what began as a solution to affordability and diverse buyer needs gradually evolved into a widespread form of low-density urban typology, extending across various nations. This type of suburbia has come to be synonymous with uniform residential blocks, often referred to as "cookie-cutter suburbs" or "tract housing." By definition, this urban planning model entails the creation of residential neighborhoods through a process where a developer or builder acquires a large parcel of land, subdivides it into smaller plots, and constructs multiple identical or similar homes in a repetitive manner, resulting in a homogeneous residential area (Levittown, 2024). Over recent decades, this approach to suburban development has faced considerable criticism from experts, particularly due to the socio-psychological and spatial implications it has on its inhabitants. Nevertheless, despite such criticisms, suburban areas continue to expand as extensions of metropolitan centers or as entirely new, planned urban developments in various regions worldwide. This ongoing trend raises an important question: does this model of urban planning contribute to fostering a sense of community, identity, and human-centered spaces?