Sudbury’s historical downtown fabric, heavy infrastructure, and geographic features are underutilized energy systems ripe for succession to a higher-order urbanism. They are the frames for building the option of 21st century low-carbon neighborhoods that feature walkability, mixed uses, and creative housing enclaves integral to an urban ecology which delivers ecosystem services. Akin to acupuncture, design reorders the energy in a complex system through strategic interventions that generate widespread renewal. Rather than think in terms of individual projects, think in terms of systems like neighborhoods and civic infrastructure to shape urban compactness. As in all great cities, infrastructure should be multi-functional, creating place through combinations of utility and pleasure—the pleasures associated with walking, living, and socializing in a human-centered downtown. Think holistically but modulate system components for phased implementation as trust, funding, and political will permit.
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