Building Charm: A Hyper-Practical Guide to Developing Outstanding New Neighborhoods - Paperback

by Misha Bereznyak (Author), Naama Blonder (Author)

The best old neighborhoods leave lasting impressions--but why is that so hard to achieve in new development?

Many new neighborhoods follow all the right design principles yet still fall short in delivering the human experience people value.

Building Charm presents a proven, practical system for creating genuinely appealing neighborhoods across a wide range of densities, from low-rise contexts to complex high-density environments.

This book will help you:

• Understand why new neighborhoods lack charm, despite meeting best practices
• Deliver genuine experiential quality without sacrificing density, practicality, or financial viability
• Organize pedestrian and vehicular networks that support real-world needs while creating comfortable, appealing public spaces
• Apply the Scaling Down system--a structured method designed for developers and professionals shaping new neighborhoods
• Design neighborhoods that people value and feel invested in, supporting enduring success and broad appeal

Author Biography

Naama Blonder and Misha Bereznyak are the founders of Smart Density. Drawing on global experience and extensive hands-on work, they wrote Building Charm to share the practical approach they developed through years of working on new residential neighborhoods within real development and municipal constraints.