As a good urbanist, I know I’m supposed to put the physical city experience first: nothing substitutes for the sidewalk ballet, never bet against New York, touch grass, convert offices to housing, if you are tired of the city you are tired of life.

There have also been efforts to rethink the way suburbs work, by changing zoning rules to encourage the emergence, either spontaneously or through deliberate redevelopment, of mixed neighborhoods of residential, retail, and office space, and forms of housing other than single-family homes. This typically involves a small, walkable town center with

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While the trend for a century or more has been to make urban environments frictionless, a recent counter-trend has tried to slow things down, reintroducing pedestrianised areas, or making children’s play areas slightly less safe so as to help them learn about risk. Going further, we could imagine environments that prompt wisdom, not just by providi

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