From good.is — Brent Toderian on Density, Neighborliness, and the Concentrated 'We'

Brent Toderian

When I think about neighbors, I think about density. That's likely because my work includes occasionally travelling the world talking about great city-building, including what I call "density done well."

I discuss all the public interest benefits of smart densification in cities, designing for more people on less land using less resources, from lowering our carbon footprint and increasing our energy resiliency, to making walking, biking and transit more inviting, improving our public health, and avoiding the bankrupting economic costs of sprawl.

However, my favorite way of thinking about density is by looking at people. Putting more people together in beautifully designed neighborhoods and places, supports everything that makes us human, from creativity, tolerance, and happiness—to even sexiness!

Last weekend, while running errands in my downtown neighborhood, surrounded by my fellow Vancouverites, I was inspired to tweet this thought:

"Great cities are a place to revel in a shared civic life. It's the people, the mixed & concentrated "we" that I love so much about cities!" 

Read more: Density, Neighborliness, and the Concentrated 'We' | Living on GOOD