Human Scale 01

Does the way we build cities lend itself to human community or human separation?

Modern urbanization has contributed to greater human separation rather than bringing people together. In our very nature as humans, we are innately drawn to one another. Historically, humans have tended to value communal, wholistic living; from villages to tribes, we inherently bonded with other humans from the shared experiences of living near one another. But now, looking at the build of housing developments, the block-like fashion they are constructed in has led us to not even know who our neighbors are. With the rise of media as well, it's easy to forget the local environment we are in. Take Beijing for example. Coming from traditional housing in courtyards with multiple generations co-living to, in a matter of 20 years, switching to high rise housing developments and skyrise architecture, the very intent of these cities have contributed to human disconnect.

Roads and transportation also directly contribute to driving humans apart, both literally and figuratively. The vast expanse of a city makes commute so taxing, causing us to be less inclined to make our way into the heart of the city, where community thrives. In turn, humans are further separated. With the way cities are built, as well, segregation based on wealth and poverty are common; the range of housing and vehicle affordability creates a poverty divide, pushing human communities apart.

Essentially, the way cities have been constructed isolates humans from their innate characteristics of valuing community.