What does city planning have to do with making ideas happen?  Well a lot apparently, especially when we note that community plays a large part in the way we develop, organize, and implement our ideas.  As we brought together our own community of local creatives, entrepreneurs, and business owners on Friday at Plywood Presents: Making Ideas Happen, we learned just how important community and relationships are for our well-being and our ability to get the job done.

Urban planner Aaron Fortner began his talk on community planning by sharing with us a brief history of the zoo.  The first zoos opened about 100 years ago and tended to keep animals in individual cages with their only interactions being with zookeepers and zoo goers.  But soon zookeepers began to notice that these animals had a psychological and emotional reaction to their solitary confinement.  Most of the animals confined in single cells were stressed, unhappy, and not thriving.  As zookeepers did more research they realized that most animals were meant to live in community with other animals, whether that be in a pack, heard, or gaggle.  It turns out animals need other animals in order to live healthy and happy lives.

Aaron pointed out that we aren’t much different.  As far back as we can remember, humans have been living together.  Whether in families, tribes, or cities, our earliest ancestors appear to have needed each other; and even today we seem to share the same need for community.  Take for example a super max prison.  Where do we put the worst of the worst criminals in order to punish them for life sentences?  We put them in solitary confinement cells, away from any human contact or the opportunity for human relationships.  So why in the design of our homes, offices, or public spaces would we punish ourselves in the same way?

Providing us with a much needed wakeup call, Aaron reminded us that nothing creative or positive comes out of environments that are restrictive or inhibiting of relationships.  Just like the animals confined to a cage absent of other like-minded creatures, we often starve ourselves of community when we work, live, or create alone.  But how can we get around segregated environments and poor city designs, especially when they seem to be so prevalent in our society?

Aaron suggests that we first identify where the “heart” of our neighborhood is located, usually looking like a town square or city center.  Support businesses in those areas, or if you can, try and get your business as close to the center of the neighborhood as possible.  This is where the most human interactions will happen on a regular basis, and thus the most chances for community development and collaboration.  If your neighborhood doesn’t have a centralized location of businesses, then maybe you need to be the one to create a much needed community space.  If you are freelancer or someone who has the ability to leave their office every once and awhile, try working in community spaces, like coffee shops, local restaurants, or bookstores in order to be apart of your local community of creatives.

You know what happens when humans thrive?  We are free to be creative, engaged, and encouraged in our endeavors.  So why should we support the structuring of our cities, neighborhoods, or homes in a way that separates us and thus hinders us from thriving?  Next time you need to be creative or encouraged in the creative ideas you’ve already had, look for the local community spaces that are already around you and strive to engage with your neighborhood in a way your solitary home office would never allow.  Who knows?  You might just get the community support and encouragement you need to make ideas happen.