05-7-14-PC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Growing Closer 1 about density, there is a growing realization that design and planning are at the heart of the issue—that people’s attitudes, pro and con, reflect the quality of the housing around them, rather than the concept of density (Oppenheimer 2006). Many Oregonians now recognize they need to determine why some density appeals, while other density disappoints, so they can learn to do it better. Which is what this book is all about—showing density and the design behind it to help you decide what works and what doesn’t. When you examine the many ways to achieve density, you can begin to understand how different design approaches create different results. Chapter 2 presents “Patterns of Density,” a selection of photographs that illustrate the points made in this introduction. The accompanying images show examples of monotony, diver- sity, amenities, open space, and other elements to demonstrate how they contribute to or detract from an environment. They highlight the differences among various planning and design strategies, showing how town and neighborhood layout, build- ing design, and landscaping affect the quality of living spaces. Chapter 3 is a “Density Catalog.” This collection of neigh- borhood photographs represents a broad sampling of density at many levels, from rural low to urban high. It will help you get a feel for what different densities look like. And it will show how design, much more than density, is what shapes the physi- cal character of a place. Density increases the need to formalize and strengthen our connection to nature. Just as all cities need infrastructure in the form of roads, pipes, and wires, healthy cities need a green infrastructure. Such a system of open spaces and natural ele- ments would reach into every neighborhood. Green infrastruc- ture could include natural features like riparian stream edges and wooded tracts, but it also might contain formal elements like pocket parks and tree-lined boulevards. The greenspace system should weave through town, offering every resident a direct connection to nature and natural processes. Trees, which fit in the smallest of spaces, play an indispensable role. Green infrastructure offers many environmental benefits—cleaner air, better water quality, cooler summer temperatures—but the main advantage is that it provides an element of tranquility to areas of high activity. It satisfies a human need that is often denied in urban life. In dense neighborhoods, architectural design matters down to the last detail of construction. It is just as important to add sound insulation to apartment walls as it is to build a parking garage. High ceilings add a sense of spaciousness.Large windows let in more daylight. A balcony offers a place to eat outdoors. One large tree in the back patio can make the neigh- bors seem twice as far away. Shielded streetlights help keep the night sky dark. Living close together should not mean saying goodbye to privacy and quiet. viSuaLizing denSiT y Americans will be wrestling with issues of growth and den- sity for generations. We are growing rapidly and are not sure we want to continue to sprawl. We can learn something from Oregon, a state that chose density 30 years ago. After decades of brisk growth and a land use policy mandating density, the state has experienced both successes and failures. Compared to other regions, sprawl has been curtailed and open land protected. But Oregonians give mixed reviews of the density they’re now liv- ing in. Some love it; others are skeptical. In the public dialogue ■