Author: Montgomery Charles
Place: New York
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Year: 2013
Pages: 358
ISBN: 978-0-374-53488-2
Subject: Urbanisation
Sub-Subject: Urban Planning/ Urban Studies
Keyword: Urban Design, Walkability, Sustainability, Livability
Shelf: C1R2
Accession No: B960
Contents: 1- The Mayor of Happy 2- The City has Always Been a Happiness Project 3- The (Broken) Social Scene 4- How We Got Here 5- Getting It Wrong 6- How to Be Closer 7- Convivialities 8- Mobilities I: How Moving Feels, and Why It Does Not Feel Better 9- Mobilities II: Freedom 10- Who Is the City For? 11- Everthing Is Connected to Everything Else 12- Retrofitting Sprawl 13- Save Your City, Save Yourself Epilogue: The Beginning Notes Acknowledgments
Abstract: Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design examines how urban design shapes human well-being, portraying cities as engines of happiness rather than just physical spaces. Using examples from cities including New York, it explores how social networks, mobility, and spatial planning influence community, connection, and personal fulfillment. The book highlights broken social structures, planning mistakes, and urban sprawl, while emphasizing strategies for fostering closer social ties, creating convivial public spaces, and improving mobility. By focusing on inclusivity and the interconnection of urban systems, it argues that retrofitting cities for happiness ultimately enhances the lives of their inhabitants.