Verticalization and population density are poorly understood aspects of our cities. Contrary to popular belief, a more vertical city is not necessarily a denser one. In Brazil, favelas and semi-formal housing make up some of the densest urban areas. These consist of small dwellings built close together, often home to multiple families. Conversely, there are neighborhoods with many high-rises and few people. These buildings may be commercial, with no residents, or they may contain large apartments, small families, and expansive open space around them. Few realize that Cidade Ademar, a low-rise residential district in southern São Paulo, is twice as dense as the high-rise jungle of Itaim Bibi.
Density without verticalization and verticalization without density are both symptoms of poor land use. Furthermore, regulations often require towers to be set back and isolated in the middle of their lots, distancing them from each other and from the sidewalk—killing street-level retail and leading to walled-off streets.
