Developer vs. Individual

As cities around the globe continue to grow (or pop up overnight), the question remains how will this growth continue? We see places such as Dubai, where a “Utopia” has been created out of the desert within a few years. Then you look at other cities that have slowly built up over centuries. Where rich and poor live together. Where the residents have left their mark on the city and changed how it developed by small interventions here and there. I think many people today like the idea of a “perfect” city, one that is new and heavily planned. However, I think that a “perfect” city, while it sounds interesting and great, lacks interest and character. In a city where everything is made to be interesting, nothing will seem interesting. The interest in a city comes not from the developers that go in and wipe out whole blocks to start over (with the same cookie cutter design they used in 10 other cities), but from the residents who make the old work with creativity. Cities must continue to grow with a balanced approach to large scale planning and the gradual change by residents.