Changing the way we think to change the way we live

Properties are more costly in dense city center but the money saved from having to commute for work from a suburban area to downtown and back again make well worth it. The full spectrum of amenities, services and a walk able lifestyle are bonus of living in city center. And don't forget,rapidly growing population is also making traffic a bit more staggering than it has been in the past. Longer commuting time means more cash spent on fuel, automobile repairs and service, while the lost time between home and employment could be spent doing more productive things such as, spending quality time with family or putting extra hours at the office for a more paycheck.

People often assume that high density discourages social interaction for social sustainability but that is not true. High-rise residents can run across their neighbors in corridors, elevators, in the car park and in the foyer, just as they do in low rise developments. In fact, in some ways they have more opportunities for social interaction by sharing facilities; such as BBQ, gyms and pools. High-rise developments are also more likely to be located within close proximity to activity centers with lots of adjacent ground level activities and create chance for residents to participate in street life.

Due to their decision making process through the body corporate, residents have more reasons to interact at a more meaningful and intimate social interaction than mere glances across the street neighborhood relationship in suburbs. I think designers and planners are prone to give way too much weight to the benefits of casual interactions between strangers then acquaintances, but in my opinion high-rise provide more social interaction opportunities, not lesser.

People craving for fresh air and bigger living rooms which drives not only the preservation of wilderness areas but also the construction of disconnected subdivisions and daily long distance car commutes. Nature landscapes are less often destroyed by people who despise nature landscapes than by people who love them or think they do. People move to be near and close to them, and then when others follow, they move again. This never ending chase creates urban sprawl and threatens unspoiled natural landscape that they love. In this perspective, dense cities are more sustainable and sensitive to natural landscapes from an environmental point of view.

Source- http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-real-estate-mike-baird-has-bad-news-about-homes-with-yards/news-story/6a318581da1124c7057b75eaa46dcb2c

Image credit- http://blog.rent.com/rent-com-survey-best-place-to-raise-kids-city-vs-suburbs/

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