Abstract
Contemporary housing attempts to help people and families meet their aspirations and social needs. A dwelling and housing estate should provide neighbourhood ties, privacy, contact, and cooperation. The housing environment also manifests the values and personality of residents: living style expresses the relationship between humans and culture.
The paper aims to 1) describe the most important trends that have emerged in housing architecture in the 21st century and 2) identify factors influencing housing architecture in Poland and indicate which types promote and hamper the implementation of innovative design features. Awareness of the phenomena and processes occurring in housing and design can help better shape the development of housing environments towards sustainability.