Visualizing Density [Paperback]

Julie Campoli (Author), Alex S. MacLean (Photographer)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1558441719 | ISBN-13: 978-1558441712 | Publication Date: January 30, 2007 | Edition: Pap/Cdr

Consumer demand for more walkable, mixed-use, and concentrated neighborhoods is already on the rise among some demographic groups the 70 million retiring baby boomers, for example, and young professionals seeking transit-oriented development for shorter commutes. But for others, density continues to have negative connotations. In many established urban neighborhoods, concerns about traffic congestion and parking, and strains on infrastructure, schools, and parks have led to resistance to more concentrated settlement patterns.
Into this context, landscape architect and land planner Julie Campoli and aerial photographer Alex S. MacLean have joined forces with the Lincoln Institute to create a full-color, richly illustrated book to help planners, designers, public officials, and citizens better understand, and better communicate to others, the concept of density as it applies to the residential environment.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Choice magazine Outstanding Academic Title of 2007. --Choice magazine

This beautiful book by Julie Campbell and Alex S. MacLean is an excellent reference for coming to grips with that slippery but important issue, density. Density can have both positive and negative connotations -- and effects -- depending on its context and execution. The photos in Visualizing Density illustrate this wonderfully, and can help us get a better mental grasp on the variety of ways people can live at a variety of different density levels. --Post Carbon Cities

This vivid and visual book is one of the essential guides to understanding the concept of density. It provides aerial photos and street pattern maps for the entire range of housing density in America from 0.2 units per acre in Beverly Hills to nearly 300 units per acre in New York City. In this book version of the 2007 Planetizen Top Website: Visualizing Density, Campoli presents accurate descriptions of density and land use patterns in the United States, and offers the stepping stones to planning and designing for a society of greater density. MacLean s beautiful and varied aerial photography gives an impressive view of hundreds of parts of the country and, at the same time, a disturbing look at the wasteful development pattern that has persevered in the U.S. for decades. --PLANetizen Top 10 Books for 2008

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; Pap/Cdr edition (January 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558441719
• ISBN-13: 978-1558441712
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #617,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > Law > Administrative Law > Housing & Urban Development

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great pictures, July 11, 2011

By 

Michael Lewyn (Forest Hills, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visualizing Density (Paperback)

The most interesting part of this book is the pictures that comprise the second half of the book. For dozens of different density levels (ranging from less than one dwelling unit per acre to over 200 units per acre) the book shows photographs of several examples. Usually, the book shows both attractive and less attractive examples of a given density.

These pictures reveal a variety of surprises. For example, when one thinks of houses looking as if they are packed together, one might think of high density- but where big houses are next to each other instead of being separated by trees or grass, they can appear unpleasantly crammed even at one or two units per acre. On the other hand, a tree canopy can make a neighborhood with a dozen houses per acre look fairly spacious.

Another surprise is that high density doesn't necessarily have to mean apartments or high rises- there are small-house and row-house neighborhoods with 20-50 dwelling units per acre, while some high-rise areas are not tremendously dense (due to the presence of plazas and parking lots where buildings could be).

Though much of the text reiterates well-worn arguments for more compact development, some of it addresses a genuinely interesting question: why do neighborhoods of identical densities vary in attractiveness? The book suggests that less attractive neighborhoods tend to (1) have fewer shade trees, (2) have less variety in housing types, and/or (3) are less walkable (because streets are not interconnected enough for people to walk to neighbors' houses, or because commercial areas are not within walking distance).

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, August 25, 2009

By 

Daniel Branstrator "yoladango" (Indianapolis, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visualizing Density (Paperback)

This book is far more useful than many textbooks. It very clearly describes its eponymous objective. HIGHLY recommended for anyone interested in alternatives to the sprawling status quo.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe the previous reviewer should have looked at the cover before purchasing, June 2, 2009

By 

Paul Anderson (Salt Lake City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visualizing Density (Paperback)

I like the book. It does have a scattering of examples and could have more numerous examples, but this would be a different book. As is, it provides a concise look at American building form unbiased toward a specific style (Such as books that only showcase new urbanist designs). In addition, it is an easy read.