Compact city refers to the urban model associated with a more densified occupation, with consequent overlapping of its uses (homes, shops and services) and promotion of the movement of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users. Amsterdam and Copenhagen are known examples of such a model.
Opposite of the dispersed city, the compact city has some captivating characteristics, in addition to its high density and mixed-use developments, such as: continuous and contained urban development, delimited by legible boundaries; high local and regional accessibility; different centralities; smaller infrastructure networks (water, electricity, sanitation); greater control over government oversight, among others.
Due to the fact that it favors the use of different modes through shorter trips, in addition to lowering infrastructure spending and encouraging community interaction, compact cities have been understood as more sustainable urban models. In this model, the same water or electricity network that supplies 20 homes, for example, can cover much more. This thinking also applies to other public services such as hospitals, schools, etc. Furthermore, its continuous and compact development avoids the emergence of urban interstices such as vacant lots.
DOTS (Urban Development Oriented to Sustainable Transport), for example, is a model that defends the planning of compact neighborhoods with high density and diversity of uses as an action strategy that integrates urban design and transport planning, and can be implemented through public policies or urban projects.
However, according to scholar Michael Neuman, it is in this correlation between urban form and regulation that the paradox of compact cities emerges. Strict planning guidelines and rules are essential to establish a city in this mold, nevertheless, their excess can become harmful, since, with a close standard to be followed, there is no room for organic experimentation typical of a healthy urban development.
Anyway, despite bringing to light some contradictions, the compact city model has been widespread in recent years in the midst of the environmental crisis. In other words, a compact city aligned with sustainability guidelines can contribute to a better quality of life with shops and services close to homes, favoring the use of alternative transport and community interaction, rescuing urban life.
