It doesn't matter what kind of organization we represent, whether it's the AIA or MIT, as long as we all recognize that there are serious public health problems to be solved. There are no easy answers. We need research and interdisciplinary thinking to compare cities, which are all fundamentally different, and to take appropriate action within each city. The word "city" is a slippery one. What defines a city? You could go by the numbers, say anything over 100,000 people, but then if you look at a country like China, the central government decides what should be categorized as a "city." I prefer the terms "urbanity" and "urbanism." They suggest density, as well as a more sophisticated method for analysis and way of thinking. The definition of urbanism also requires some flexibility given that cultural reflection is part of this, too.
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