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Mixed Use
SUSTAINABILITY & URBAN DESIGNbeginner
Definition
Development that combines different types of programme — housing, retail, offices, leisure — within a single building or district. Mixed use creates active streets throughout the day, reduces car dependency, and supports local economies. It is the opposite of zoning that separates uses into single-use districts.
Example
Jane Jacobs championed mixed use in 'The Death and Life of Great American Cities' (1961), arguing that separating uses had killed American cities — a thesis that transformed urban planning worldwide.