Want a prosperous town fast?

Combine affordability and great design. Prosperity comes from jobs. Jobs come from job creators, the most prolific being entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs, when they’re cash-strapped before their business ideas hit it big, need affordable housing (lofts, shared living), affordable office space (unfinished, open floor plan), affordable transportation (walkability, mass transit), and affordable entertainment (parks, piazzas, bars, dancing, casual dining). The trick is, it can’t be cheap, but very well designed.

Doesn’t great design mean ‘more expensive’? Not any more. With our information-age ability to understand customer preferences and mass customize, we can get great design very affordably. Some companies have a great headstart, like Ikea (love this web site!), Target, and Nissan. The lamp you see here, which you’ll find in many modern interiors, is $7.95 at Ikea.

How does this translate to town building? Stay tuned this week.

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