Urban hierarchy

A city is not one place. The suburbs and the centre work differently, and they need different streets, different densities and different buildings.

Density rises toward the centre.

Every healthy city has a hierarchy. Out in the suburbs there is more land, fewer people and room for gardens. Toward the centre, land is scarce, streets narrow and more people live closer together. Good planning builds for each, instead of treating the whole city the same.

The suburbs

Lower density, more land.

Houses and gardens, wider streets, and a car for most trips. Suburbs work best when they still have a heart of their own.

— Family homes and terraces with gardens

— A real local high street, not a strip mall

— Schools, shops and parks within walking distance

— A quick, reliable connection to the centre

The city centre

Higher density, less land.

Apartments above shops, narrower streets, less traffic and frequent public transport. The centre works when people live in it, not just work in it.

— Apartment buildings that line the street

— Narrow, walkable streets with less traffic

— Trains, trams and buses every few minutes

— Squares, parks and libraries a short walk away

What should be traditional, and where.

The hierarchy also tells us where traditional architecture matters most. The closer a building is to the heart of a city, the more it shapes the street, and the more it should be built to last.

The centre

Apartments, civic buildings, stations and squares. Buildings stand shoulder to shoulder here, so every facade shapes the street. This is where tradition matters most.

The suburbs

Houses and local high streets. A shared traditional character keeps a neighbourhood cohesive, even when every home is different.

The edges

Hospitals, malls, airports and industry can be modern. They just need to be well made and respect the streets around them.

Which buildings should be traditional →

Getting around.

Public transport and good architecture depend on each other. Frequent trains, trams and buses only work where enough people live within walking distance of a stop, and people only want to live there if the streets are worth walking.

Stations should be civic buildings again: generous, beautiful places that mark an arrival, with homes, shops and squares gathered around them. Build that way and the car becomes a choice rather than a requirement.

Read about urban planning →