A conversation on density

In the final part of the Density session, Talen, Pope, and Waldheim join Vishaan Chakrabarti, a principal at SHoP Architects and author of A Country of Cities, to debate the varied forms that density does or should take. Waldheim refers to a significant shift in the perception of closely shared living space, with dense environments now considered a status symbol, which Talen builds on by noting that this increasing demand for density exacerbates social segregation and separation. Pope suggests that the suburbs can break free from their horizontal form and build vertically, creating walkable environments. The panel debates the designer’s role and responsibility in class separation and gentrification, as well as imperatives to look at morphologies beyond the grid when considering urban form.