Could a City Become More Efficient While Feeling Less Human?
Optimization solves some problems while removing some possibilities.
Sometimes. Efficiency improvements can unintentionally reduce opportunities for interaction and discovery.
A city removes public benches, waiting areas, and informal gathering spaces to maximize movement and throughput.
The hidden mechanism is interaction reduction. Features that appear inefficient may create opportunities for conversation, observation, and community.
A micro-scene captures the tradeoff: commuters move faster, but fewer neighbors stop long enough to recognize each other.
The most efficient city is not automatically the most memorable one because movement and connection obey different rules.
