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1. Wrongheaded sounding move by a city councillor in Edmonton, a city that’s generally been making good strategic moves around doing density better. 2. #GentleDensity is meant to support raising density that’s too low, not lowering density that’s smart and strategic (I coined the term in 2006).

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:5epcbclnwnvbc4jyj7w4erkz/post/3lrtcmxdms22c

“Branding” good city-building ideas isn’t about attention—that usually fails. It’s best when it’s trying to solve a communication problem. For example, I came up with #GentleDensity in 2006 in Vancouver because we needed to talk about needed change in neighbourhoods that WASN’T about tall buildings.

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ny5w2k6brb2kdubxnevke6li/post/3lbl6zfnyak2p

Everyone who so wishes should be able to live in a gentle density urban neighbourhood on a single working class income. This has to be our goal.

And by gentle density I mean e.g. 7-8 floor perimeter blocks, mixed use, complete streets with cars as the lowest priority: the 15 minute city. That's gentle.

#Urbanism #GentleDensity

Map app 3D-view of the Vasastan area in central Stockholm. North European perimeter blocks about 7 floors tall. A large diagonal street breaks the (north-south elongated) grid, with a triangular plaza where it meets a large east-west street, with a large church on the short site of the triangle.
A large park in the lower right of the view, with a large playground and a football field.
Bonus fact for the alt-text readers: This is where the legendary children's author Astrid Lindgren lived for the last 60 years of her life (overlooking this park), and where her creation Karlsson-on-the-Roof lives.

This has big Onion energy.

(1) https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/two-years-after-allowing-four-unit-multiplexes-in-residential-neighbourhoods-a-new-toronto-area-pilot/article_5e222914-d4ef-11ef-ae9f-3743ac761081.html?source=newsletter&utm_email=1B3C39ACA2AAAC6DB12B362B98CF3E1A
(2) https://theonion.com/fuck-everything-were-doing-five-blades-1819584036/

#Housing #Toronto #TOPoli #MissingMiddle #GentleDensity

Screenshot of Toronto Star article headlined "Two years after allowing four-unit multiplexes in residential neighbourhoods, a new Toronto area pilot is testing sixplexes" (Link 1)

Screenshot of an article in The Onion headlined "Fuck Everything, We're Doing Five Blades" (link 2)

Some historical precedents for ground-oriented denser housing choices (what I dubbed #GentleDensity and what @danielparolek.bsky.social called #MissingMiddle) make you melt. This is Schnoor Quarter in Bremen, Germany. Nothing stops us from building something like this today, except our rules.

Photo of gorgeous historic 3-4 storey compact housing in thin pre-car streets.

Whether we like it or not, “BRANDING” our good city-building ideas WORKS for spreading & strengthening those ideas. A good example is #MissingMiddle Housing via @opticosdesign.bsky.social, which has been even more effective than my #GentleDensity. What are YOUR FAV better city-building idea brands?

What would a transit oriented development look like near Galway city? Polysee have put together a video to visualise it.
#TransitOrientedDevelopment #GentleDensity #Transport #GalwayCity #Oranmore
https://youtube.com/watch?v=YbvihdC6SJY&si=0Ti9ew-7pMm_xupc

Today, I enjoyed leading an architectural tour that explored 'a century of gentle density in St Kilda and Elwood'.

Because ideas about what is 'good housing' and 'good density' evolve and change over time, I find community forums like this to be consistently educational and rewarding.

The tour was a joint event organised by Port Phillip Bicycle User Group and Jane's Walk. It was 1 of 5 Jane’s Walks events held in Melbourne this 🌧️ 💨 weekend.

Jane’s Walk is a global volunteer-led community movement, created in recognition of the ideas and legacy of Jane Jacobs.

#JanesWalk #GentleDensity #PublicMelbourne

A group of people with bicycles discuss Ruskin, the recently completed 3 storey townhouses in Elwood.

Some historical precedents for denser ground-oriented housing choices (what I coined #GentleDensity) just make you melt. This is Schnoor Quarter in #Bremen, Germany —“life before the car” via @heuristics. It’s too low density for places that really need & can support well designed higher densities, but it’s an excellent alternative to low density sprawl. Nothing stops us from building something like this today, except our rules, biases and lack of political will. #missingmiddle #cities #urbanism

One of the best arguments for better urbanism and better city building is that #gentledensity takes development pressure off adjacent natural areas.

The respite of REAL nature is critical to our mental and physical well-being. And, as a bonus, when you bring back a little more venison than you had originally planned, you won’t have to survive on the fringes of neglected-in-winter stroads every time you venture out.

#BetterByBike #OneLessCar #IBikeIVote #BikeZoo #ModeShiftKzoo

RT @boys_nicholas@twitter.com

Bill Bryson once said that if the Martians invaded earth, they'd think Vienna was the world capital. You can see why
Here's #GentleDensity with extra fiddly bits. "Mixed use" sounds like tedious planner speak but it should be ornamented & beautiful

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/boys_nicholas/status/1486470157207805961

#GentleDensity

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