Thought No.01
Moms are the best police
Want the most beautiful example of the power of design? Just take a look at this picture.
At first glance, it’s nothing unusual: kids playing in the city, people sitting around, enjoying themselves.
But this was taken in downtown São Paulo — one of the most dangerous cities in the world, a place struggling with drugs and crime.
So this photo, showing children playing at the heart of such a city, is far from obvious.
It’s the result of design.
I came across it in a talk by David Sim (link in comments), from the urban planning firm Gehl.
David’s team worked with São Paulo’s municipality to design spaces that invite play, rest, and community — using simple design elements like wooden decks, shading, and beach chairs.
David explains that the presence of kids playing, mothers with strollers, and elderly women walking their poodles is part of the solution to the city’s drug problem.
Or, as he puts it:
“Moms are the best police.”
Because where there are mothers, there’s less crime.
The result? A dramatic drop in crime rates in the area.
Design (any design, not just architectural) = communication.
When a space communicates safety, community, and positive presence — reality itself can change.
Highly recommend watching David Sim’s talk on what he calls the Soft City.
But this was taken in downtown São Paulo — one of the most dangerous cities in the world, a place struggling with drugs and crime.
So this photo, showing children playing at the heart of such a city, is far from obvious.
It’s the result of design.
I came across it in a talk by David Sim (link in comments), from the urban planning firm Gehl.
David’s team worked with São Paulo’s municipality to design spaces that invite play, rest, and community — using simple design elements like wooden decks, shading, and beach chairs.
David explains that the presence of kids playing, mothers with strollers, and elderly women walking their poodles is part of the solution to the city’s drug problem.
Or, as he puts it:
“Moms are the best police.”
Because where there are mothers, there’s less crime.
The result? A dramatic drop in crime rates in the area.
Design (any design, not just architectural) = communication.
When a space communicates safety, community, and positive presence — reality itself can change.
Highly recommend watching David Sim’s talk on what he calls the Soft City.