Nowadays, there are several regulations that are forcing people to follow a specific design while building houses. This is an effort to create a common neighborhood aesthetics and unity. while some people think it is important to have these guidelines, I believe everyone should have the freedom to choose their own style.
Building houses with similar design creates a coherent look to the community. As a result, residents will have a shared experience and develope a sense of belonging. This is important because communities and their cultures are represented by their architecture, and having the same style of homes will show unity and sharing culture within the community. For instance, neighborhoods that have been created a long time ago will have a classical architectural style, so keeping this design when building new projects can help preserve the history of the area.
However, home owners should also be allowed to express their own identity as well. when authorities force them to follow a design template, their inpute in the design of their homes gets minimized. As a result, residents lose their right to express themselves and the neighborhood will be filled with houses that are identical. Areas like this are depressing for the residents, since they fail to reflect their ideas and individual style. For example, houses built on mass by developers are identical, giving a sense of placement instread of belonging to the area.
In conclusion, although I believe houses in the same area should share some common features, the majority of the design decision should be left to the owners because self expression is more important than cohesive neighborhood aesthetic.