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Monday, June 4, 2007

What Density Looks Like

posted by on June 4 at 13:22 PM

You all know I love me some density.

Via Sightline, this web site has an incredible collection of images representing all types of density…

GT.5.1.jpg

GT.2.2.jpg

GT.6.2.jpg

…and its opposite, sprawl:

GT.1.1.jpg

GT.11.1.jpg

The site makes a compelling case that while density is an important step in the right direction, good design (variation in building styles, easy access to services, streets that put bikes and pedestrians first) is also necessary to make density work.

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, where the sidewalks lead. These are all functions of design. […]

If there is little variation-an even wash of development from one corner of town to the other, or the same block shape or building type repeated relentlessly, it will feel crowded, even if it has a low density. Contrast and diversity, at the neighborhood as well as the regional level are vital components of successful density.

I couldn’t agree more: Large multi-family developments with street-facing parking and no ground-floor amenities are not a good way to build density—one reason I feel a bit lost in the suburbs when I walk through Rainier Vista. Still, it’s pretty clear that good density shares the same basic characteristics everywhere: Build vertical, make room for green space, choose a style that works in its context, deemphasize cars, include easy access to services, and reject monotony. It’s that simple.

RSS icon Comments

1

Picture 3 looked nice.

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 4, 2007 1:33 PM
2

Erica-- I posted something over at my blog last week you may (or may not) like to take a look at. It's just a little blurb about the history of urban density with some maps of Seattle from 1894 to the present, looking at trends in density based on transportation. The first part's a little history lesson that you might want to skip-- the maps are at the bottom of the post.

http://www.suoxi.net/pettyblog/2007/05/part_one_a_brief_history_of_ci.html

Posted by Judah | June 4, 2007 1:39 PM
3

"Large multi-family developments with street-facing parking and no ground-floor amenities are not a good way to build density—one reason I feel a bit lost in the suburbs when I walk through Rainier Vista."

umm... most of Rainier Vista is Townhomes with Alley Parking.

Posted by maxsolomon | June 4, 2007 2:15 PM
4

Do the homes in North Capitol Hill count as "density"?

Posted by Sean | June 4, 2007 2:21 PM
5

You forgot a combination of sprawl and density, Broadacre City:http://www.arch.columbia.edu/DDL/projects/usonia/ddl.mov

Watch the movie and then stay at the hotel:
www.pricetower.org

Posted by Frank Lloyd Wright | June 4, 2007 2:43 PM
6

So Density Pic #2 would not count as good density, due to its compound-like similarity?

Posted by Gomez | June 4, 2007 3:10 PM
7

I was expecting photos of Kirstie Alley.

Posted by monkey | June 4, 2007 3:22 PM
8

densest neighborhood in north america:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_Town

Posted by john | June 4, 2007 3:34 PM
9

And also, just by way of contrasting to the images you've shown here, this is a block of fairly typical London terranced housing, which has amazing population density.

http://www.stephenjdavies.co.uk/

I actually quite like these buildings, though the examples outside London tend to be in somewhat poor condition.

For those who've never seen these up close, typically each house has a small private garden in the back for the ground floor tenants to use.

Posted by Judah | June 4, 2007 4:41 PM
10

none of these pictures look especially appealing, do they? two of the "dense" examples appear to be oppressively non-human scaled.

Posted by josh | June 4, 2007 4:50 PM
11

Gomez @ 6: Yes.

Posted by ECB | June 4, 2007 5:45 PM
12

Those pictures would be nicer to look at if there were a little corner grocery... something like a City Market... get a little something to eat, a little to drink, a some thin some thin. Why drive 6 blocks to loose a good parking space? (or take the car in and out of the garage, as the case may be). You walk.

I guess the question is, is it a big, small, or a what-the-fuck-you-talking-about, evil to drive a mile. I mean, that's a 40 minute walk there and back, vs. 15, may be 20 minutes when you drive, tops.


But then I live where I live, most places in the city are a mile or two away (I'm being very generous, arguably more like 5 - 7 miles, is more the norm for the likes of Carkeek, Sandpoint, most of West Seattle, etc.) from everything. A 30 block walk is still a long walk, no matter how fit a person is.

REZONE.

Posted by Phenics | June 4, 2007 6:53 PM
13

Phenics, I hear what you're saying. I work for the city, and as such am "out and about" on the north end for at least half the workday, every workday. There's an awful lot of "density" going on, but not much of it is, IMO, good, and it's not addressing the pedestrian issue: Tearing down three single family homes to put up six remarkably ugly townhomes doesn't relieve parking or make a grocery store any closer. It just degrades the neighborhood.

I suppose that eventually stores will follow, bit it doesn't seem like things are being well thought-out when it comes to this density thing.

Posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay | June 4, 2007 8:39 PM
14

"Tearing down three single family homes to put up six remarkably ugly townhomes doesn't relieve parking or make a grocery store any closer. It just degrades the neighborhood."

It also doesn't necessarily increase density, if density means increasing the number of people living on a lot. It does degrade the environment by decreasing permeable surface (which increases bacterial counts in the Sound).

Posted by sofacles | June 4, 2007 11:36 PM
15

EXcellent. I must say if the end product of a denser Seattle is anything like #s 1 or 3, I'd be thrilled.

Posted by Gomez | June 5, 2007 10:03 AM

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