05-7-14-PC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1 Visualizing Density of rising energy costs and shrinking budgets, we will consume significant energy resources and require government subsidies. Our supply of resource land will shrivel within a generation. What type of pattern will and should dense growth take? What will it look like? Depending on the pattern it fits within and the form it takes, density can be a blessing or a curse. Despite the word’s power to provoke emotional responses, den- sity merely expresses a numerical ratio—typically the number of housing units to the acre of land. Examined rationally, it tells us something about how much activity is compressed into a given area, but it reveals nothing about physical form. Two neighborhoods with the exact same density can look as different as night and day. Although they measure out at the same density, they are not necessarily perceived to be equally dense. What really matters is how the streets are laid out, how the land is subdivided, how the buildings are arranged and detailed, whether trees are planted, and where the sidewalks lead. These are all functions of design. Living closer together is more appealing when the built environment is designed well and cared for. Dense urban neigh- borhoods such as Chicago’s Oak Park, Seattle’s Capital Hill, and Brooklyn’s Park Slope have been valued over time for their high quality of life. These places offer the benefits of density without negative aspects like overcrowding or monotony. Not limited to big cities, dense, livable neighborhoods are common in settings as diverse as Boise, Idaho; Sandusky, Ohio; and St. Johnsbury, Vermont. There are many historic examples to serve as models, as well as newer places that combine the best attributes of the old. The key to creating new, high-quality density lies in how we plan and design communities. 041215-0226 Phoenix, Arizona