Visualizing Density

by Julie Campoli

This best-selling and richly illustrated book by landscape architect Julie Campoli and aerial photographer Alex S. MacLean helps planners, designers, public officials, and citizens better understand how residential density can help save energy, dollars, and the environment.

Genres: Urban Planning, Architecture

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2007

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide into how density shapes cities. Lots of illustrative pictures and a corresponding explanation make this a good reference. Hard to look at cities the same way.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was reviewing this book on the text alone it would get two stars. But the main story of this book is translated through its pictures. The public can have a difficult time "visualizing density," and the many different types of design that can can enhance high-density projects -- whether it's the surrounding street pattern, the use of clustering to encourage open space, or how high-density projects can fit into existing neighborhoods. But, it's not all about high density -- this book illustrates the good and bad of sprawl. I had the song "Little Boxes" stuck in my head after looking at Sun City. I think this book could be a useful tool when discussing the whats' and hows' of the "D" word.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text is *meh* but the value of the book is in its myriad of examples for neighborhood configurations and possibilities. Density is not a cookie-cutter tool to be utilized but one that is packed full of potential applications and relationships between streets, buildings, sidewalks and people. For planners facing skeptical public audiences or even doubters within government about the potential of higher-density development, this book (albeit weirdly priced and distributed---it would do much better as part of an app or website) would be of great help to change some minds or at least open them.