What an Urban Lifestyle Means to You

So what, exactly, is an ‘urban’ lifestyle? It’s a frequently asked question by many potential homeowners.

Unfortunately, the answer is usually clouded with vagueness and generality.

Some may think of it as the move from house and land packages to renting and apartment living — the white picket fence and roomy backyard to the high-density buildings and bustling city. But these are urban living myths, and the reality is, there’s much more to it.

A Solid Definition

Global leader in architectural design, OMBI, describes an urban lifestyle as an expression of:

• diversity
• complexity
• mixed-use
• civic meaning
• social exchange

Your urban life could be housed in a high-density building and thrive in surrounding neighbourhoods and bustling centres.

And with the opportunities urban living presents for sustainability and growth on both a local and global scale, it’s no surprise it has become a defining feature of the 21stcentury.

In fact, more than half of the world now lives in cities and it’s predicted by 2050, 70% of us will be living in urban environments. Do you want to be a part of the 70%? If you’re still unsure, here are a few reasons why you should opt for an urban lifestyle.

The New Trend

As early as the 1950s, the domestic dream was to move to the suburbs into your own house, preferably with a fence separating you from your neighbours.

The idea of the perfect living space appears to have shifted for Generation Y. According to a 2011 report entitled ‘Why We Buy’, young Australians are just as happy living in and buying apartments as they are houses.

Not only is this great news for building smarter, more connected cities, it reveals something very interesting about the current generation of homebuyers.

It tells us they like being known by their neighbours, but also like the anonymity of the civilised urban crowd. Gone are the fences separating us, and in their place is the closeness of the urban living space.

Engaging in the ‘Bump’

Cultivating a more sociable space, the urban lifestyle helps us to engage in civic life and makes us more aware of our collective environment.

This sets the perfect scene for informal, spontaneous meetings and what’s known as the ‘bump’ factor. Scientific institutions have found these to be the most important exchanges we make with each other.

When you ‘bump’ into someone you know, you’re experiencing the bump factor. This can include getting coffee, walking together up the stairs or working out at the gym, and it all comes with the urban lifestyle.

Building Towards a Better Future

While urban living contributes to better habitats for the present, it also offers future generations improved quality of life.

Architects and urban planners have latched onto the urban trend, and as a result they are working tirelessly towards creating smart cities that plan for two inevitable scenarios: population growth and climate change.

One benefit of urban living is the opportunity cities present as incubators for innovation and addressing climate change.

We can use the density of cities to our advantage, with reduced energy use helping contribute towards a sustainable future.

Practicality Comes First

Smart, urban cities also foster:

• More efficient infrastructure, including better road systems and public transport.
• Smart-metered utilities like gas, electricity and broadband.

This isn’t only practical for now, but pragmatic for the long-term success of our local and global communities.

Paul Katz, former president and managing principal of Kohn Pederson Fox, always focused on the bigger urban picture, consistently pinning urban living as the most viable option for developing better cities. He believed we should use all resources available to ensure successful developments.

‘We have to learn to live in greater density and with a greater economy of resources…we have to live in 3D cities’, said Katz.

Success is in the Planning

While the idea of urban living makes sense in theory, it must also work in practice. It requires widespread collaboration between citizens, designers, developers and planners to really come together.

To cultivate a true sense of place, it’s essential to create new urban settings that add civic and social meaning to our cities. They must also be functionally integrated into the larger fabric of our communities.

If you’re interested in being a part of a project invested in injecting heart back into the local landscape, check out the latest landmark development set to revitalise South Perth. Under the Civic Heart roof, you enjoy a vibrant, urban lifestyle with all the perks of resort-style facilities.

Originally published at civicheart.com.au on March 8, 2016.