Design
Designing for Density Doesn't Have to Be Ugly, or Scary
San Francisco-based architect David Baker finds beauty in buildings that house lots of people
Few architects take the challenge of density done right as seriously—and creatively—as David Baker, principal of David Baker + Partners Architects. Among the many tools in his impressive design arsenal is one you might not expect: an ability to humanize the data. He's designing not for stats and acronyms but for citizens.
Density per square mile is a pretty normal concept for people looking at macro-scale planning, and most architects tend to focus on "dwelling units per acre," or DUA. But this, says Baker, ignores how big those dwellings are and also ignores the effects of streets, parks and parking, commercial uses, and public uses like schools, libraries, and civic offices.