Dumbbell tenements were designed to address major issues facing tenements.

• A. Dumbbell tenements
• B. Luxury condominiums
• C. Detached houses
• D. Farmhouses

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how building design tries to fix the harsh conditions of crowded urban housing. Dumbbell tenements were shaped with two long wings joined by a narrow central section that created light wells and more exterior wall exposure. This design increased windows and airflow for each apartment, bringing in daylight and fresh air to places that were previously dark and stuffy. By improving light and ventilation, it also helped with sanitation and reduced some fire hazards that came with dense, unsanitary conditions. In short, the dumbbell form was a deliberate architectural response to the problems of overcrowding, poor ventilation, dampness, and disease in tenements.

Other housing types listed don’t address those urban slum conditions. Luxury condominiums are a later, upscale concept not tied to solving 19th-century tenement problems, while detached houses and farmhouses represent single-family homes in less dense settings and wouldn’t alleviate the core issues of crowded, dark, poorly ventilated apartment blocks.