Building Optimism

Building the world of our dreams has never been more attainable than it is today. Our society is the wealthiest, most knowledgeable, and most technically advanced in history. Yet, why does so much of the modern world around us feel dispiriting?

In this hopeful work, Coby Lefkowitz details how the design of cities and towns is shaped by a community’s beliefs, and the decisions made based on those beliefs. If we want to create a better world, we must first embrace the optimistic ideal that such a pursuit is both possible and worthwhile.

Tracing the history of the built environment in the United States from the rise of urbanization in the Industrial Revolution to the present day, Building Optimism explores why our communities look the way they do, and offers a series of concrete reforms to make them more beautiful, desirable, friendly, salubrious, and affordable. Drawing on the fields of urban planning, finance, architecture, governance, and real estate development, Lefkowitz provides a practical guide for developers, city officials, and design professionals on how to create a better future, and a peek behind the scenes for anyone who is curious about how our world is shaped. Several dozen vignettes of contemporary projects serve as inspiration for what is possible to build today, and reference for what may come tomorrow. The world of our dreams is only a dose of Optimism away.