Walk through the streets of a historic city like Annapolis, and you’ll feel it—every alley, every irregular building tucked into a forgotten corner tells a story of adaptation and growth. These places weren’t built all at once; they evolved, making the most of every inch of land.
Contrast that with modern suburban sprawl, where vast setbacks and rigid layouts leave little room for change. If we rethink how we use space—designing with flexibility and long-term growth in mind—our communities could mature with the same character and resilience that make historic cities so captivating.
If you’ve ever experienced a place that just made you feel good, you might like this story from Strong Towns that shines light on the unseen features of places that seem to do a good job of attracting people. What’s the secret? It’s closer to chaos than organized planning. But if we’re thoughtful, we can incorporate them both.
