In an effort to solve the problem a new kind of housing was built-the tenement. A tenement house was a six-or seven-story building designed to hold as many families as possible. Most were stifling , cramped , and hazardous. In 1878 a contest for architects was held to try to come up with a safer , better-designed tenement. The winning plan attempted to increase air circulation and light by means of a narrow shaft between tenement buildings. Builders thought they had found the solution to low-cost , safe housing. Many thousands of tenements were built that followed that design. Unfortunately , the plan did not work. Instead of circulating fresh air , the shafts circulated noise and the stench of garbage. They also proved to be a fire hazard , allowing flames to travel more quickly. As a result , the tenements did not provide good housing for the poor. Instead , the lack of plumbing , the close quarters , and the unsanitary conditions brod disease and discontent. The great tenement experiment quickly turned into a uniquely American slum.