ABSTRACT
Of all travel modes, walking best enables us to meet people and deepen connection to places. Although ‘Five-minute Living’ – neighbourhoods compact enough to walk to shops and amenities – is widely considered desirable, these shops’ viability depends on sufficient customers within walking range, hence sufficient density. Consequently, although low density encourages sociability, only higher densities support society. Ecologically also, high densities reduce both need-to-drive and buildings’ heat-loss surface, hence pollution. Economically, they shrink land and infrastructure costs. Urban compaction, therefore, makes social, ecological and economic sense. However, it increases noise and stress. Privacy reduces stress but requires space. In cities, however, space is scarce and expensive. Distinguishing space for getting privacy from space that is private, clarifies where it’s best allocated, and windows best positioned. Chapter 10 discusses how such perceived environment can moderate density’s (largely sensory) effects, to reconcile amenity-viable densities with stress relief, for both social and individual benefit.
