Social Sustainability

Urban Densification

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect source requestedWhy these are different

Definition

Urban densification is increasing the population, employment or built intensity of already-urbanised areas: infill on vacant plots, conversion of underused land (car parks, warehouses), additional storeys, subdivision of large lots, and concentration of development around transit. It is the land-use core of the compact city model — using existing infrastructure and proximity rather than extending urban footprints — with documented benefits for transport emissions, infrastructure cost and land conservation.

References

unhabitat.orgBulk import source

This reference provides supporting context for how “Urban Densification” is defined and used.

www.oecd.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

Overview

How it is used

The strategy structures zoning reform, brownfield-first policy, transit-oriented development, and housing supply programmes in constrained cities.

Why it matters

Every home built inside the city is a hectare of countryside and a car-dependent commute not created; densification is land-use mitigation.