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With mass transportation and people able to do work over computers is the idea of having large amounts of people living in densely populated area's outdated? Why spend so much to build up when you can build out?
Because you can't build out forever, because building out isn't exactly free (just taxpayer-subsidized), because building out has its own consequences (pollution, traffic, expense, etc) and because many people actually like other people and don't mind living near them?
If anything, cities are going to become much more important and relevant than they were in the last century (in America; the rest of the world never abandoned theirs). We're coming up against the natural limits of suburban expansion as oil becomes more scarce. We're also beginning to realize, as a culture, the shortcomings of the automobile suburb. There's no reason to list them here, as you can find about 1000 lists and just as many arguments about them on this site. And the recession that we are in, complemented by the vast empty subdivisions, should make it clear that we can't afford to keep building out.
Why would we want to keep building out? There's only so much land out there; granted, we have a lot of space in this country, but why would we want to fill up farmland or wilderness with sprawl? It costs a fortune for both individual and for society and has a negative environmental impact. I agree that cities are MORE relevant these days, not less. Not everyone needs to be living in dense urban neighborhoods, but in general it makes more fiscal and environmental sense to concentrate on fostering increased density, rather than continuing to subsidize unsustainable sprawl.
Cities are necessary for civilization. Even with the internet, ideas spread, grow and turn into reality when lots of people with varying skills in close proximity to each other work together to tackle them.
Humans are still evolving, and living in cities creates an environmental pressure that creates people who are well adapted to working and living together. This makes for a less violent and more democratic species on the whole. This in turn makes a better world.
Cities are far from outdated. They are more necessary than ever.
I think that the more a city builds out, the bigger possibility that the cities will be left in decay. We saw this happen in the US in the 70s. It doesn't always happen, but its proven that the core will begin to rot.
If anything, it seems that we might not need sprawl and infill. bad idea
Yes, cities are outmoded. We can keep building out and do so sustainably, saving farm and open land. Plus, cities have many negatives, including crime, pollution, traffic and stress.
I know I will be blasted for saying that, but it's the truth.
With mass transportation and people able to do work over computers is the idea of having large amounts of people living in densely populated area's outdated? Why spend so much to build up when you can build out?
No.
And cities are not always characterized by nor limited to vertical development. There are many cities that are characterized by horizontal development.
Yes, cities are outmoded. We can keep building out and do so sustainably, saving farm and open land. Plus, cities have many negatives, including crime, pollution, traffic and stress.
I know I will be blasted for saying that, but it's the truth.
Why not build dense and then have lots of open space right nearby the city. A like the idea of a place where the city just ends and one doesn't have to travel 2 hours to get farmland / forest.
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