Introduction to Measuring Density

This atlas measures projects using dwelling units per acre, population per acre, and floor area ratio (FAR), the
three most commonly used measurements of density. Projects are grouped into "neighborhood" scales and
"block" scales, for proper comparison. Comparing projects within a defined scale is important because the
larger the land mass, the more non-residential space will exist in a given area - retail, parks, services, etc.,
automatically lowering the dwelling units, population and FAR, and total density of an area. Density will
almost always be "higher" at the "block" scale, so it is important to make comparisons within their assigned
scales.
Density Measurement Profile
High FAR, High Du, High Population
Neighborhoods with high population, dwelling units and FAR can be very
livable, comfortable environments, using an efficient development
pattern. The livability of these neighborhoods is highly dependent on the
urban and architectural design of the buildings within this space, to
ensure all units have good access to light and air, and the streetscape
feels pleasant and uncrowded.

Ming Court, Tseung The Visionaire, Man Wai Bldg, Jordan,

Kwan O, Hong Kong Battery City Park, New Hong Kong
FAR = 12.5 York FAR = 10.1
DU = 247 / Ha FAR = 16.4 DU = 242 / Ha
Pop = 804 / Ha DU = 755 / Ha Pop = 969 / Ha
Pop = 1585 / Ha
Low FAR, Low Du, Low Pop
Neighborhoods with low population, low dwelling units and low FAR are
the least dense case studies in this atlas. The following are examples of
some of the least dense case studies in the Density Atlas.

City des Fleurs, Paris, Ju'er Hutong, Beijing,

France China
FAR = 1.5 FAR = 1.3
DU = 12 / Ha DU = 89 / Ha
Pop = 62 / Ha Pop = 264 / Ha

High FAR, Low DU, Low Population

The following examples of neighborhoods with high FAR, low dwelling
units and low population illustrate neighborhoods that may appear
dense due to the relatively large building size, however, the number of
people living in the area is relatively low, leading to a less crowded
environment. Dwelling units are fairly large, giving each person a sizeable
amount of personal living space.
The Esplanade, The Plan Voisin, Paris, Block 1002 Census
Cambridge, MA, US France Tract 105.01 on 5th Ave
FAR = 9.6 FAR = 7.2 FAR = 8.0
DU = 59 / Ha DU = 49 / Ha DU = 94 / Ha
Pop = 97 / Ha Pop = 196 / Ha Pop = 186 / Ha

Low FAR, High DU, High Population

In contrast with the examples above, the following examples illustrate
crowded neighborhoods with relatively low FAR. Most informal
developments have a similar Density Measurement Profile.

Dharavi, Mumbai,
India
FAR = 2.0
DU = 255 / Ha
Pop = 5714 / Ha
MEASURING
Metrics
The cases in this atlas show three different quantitative measurements of density: dwelling units per hectare
or acre, people per hectare or acre, and floor area ratio. Although these are common measures of density,
they are often used alone, without respect to the other measures. It is important to look at all three
numbers to obtain an accurate depiction of density.

The diagram below details the three measures.

Why these three measures? These are the three most commonly used measurements of density and each
describes density from a different perspective. Each measurement looks at a different aspect of density and
alone, each measurement is used to plan for a specific set of needs. Urban planners often are most
concerned with FAR measures; realtors are often most concerned with dwelling units due to their focus on
renting and selling; and government agencies care most about population numbers, which are tied to city
services and infrastructure needs. Although each measurement provides good information about a place,
alone, they do not paint a complete picture of the density of a neighborhood.

A better understanding of the density of a place comes not only from the additional information supplied
from each of the three measurements, but also through looking at the three measurements relative to each
other. For example, two areas may have the same number of dwelling units, but may feel more or less dense
based on the relationship of those units to the number of people and the FAR in the area.

FAR + Coverage
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the ratio of built area (a building's total size) to the lot area (the property upon
which the building is built). It is a measure used by planners, regulators, and developers to discern the
intensity of a development. By itself, however, it is not sufficient to define density.
Coverage
Coverage is the relationship between the ground floor area of enclosed buildings and the area of the lot.
Development scenarios with the same FAR but different coverage will produce varying types of
development: for example, low-rise or high-rise.

The examples below are a classic case of varying perceptions of density for two areas with identical FAR.
Dwelling Units
Another measure of density is the number of dwelling units built on the lot, often used by realtors or
developers, as their focus is the marketable number of units in a given area. The density of an area can
change based on the number of dwelling units – although we use individual dwelling units as a
measurement, we don’t measure the size of the units. Large buildings may take up the same amount of
space as small ones, resulting in similar levels of FAR. Is an area filled with McMansions as dense as an area
filled with the same number of rowhouses?
Population
Measuring the number of people in a given area is helpful to measure density, however, it does not measure
the amount of living space per person. Are dwelling units a comfortable size? Is there public space for
people? How many people live in each household?

It is clear that there are complications with using only one of these three measures to analyze the density of
an area. When looking at cases, you will understand the importance of looking and comparing all three
measures. For example, Battery Park City may feel dense, however, individual unit sizes are fairly large, with
few people per household – a case of an area with high FAR, medium number of dwelling units medium to
low population. Informal developments, by contrast, have low FAR, and a medium to high number of
dwelling units and population, which can yield less square feet of living space per person.

Understanding these numbers will help city planners and others determine the best mix of these
measurements for their neighborhood or town. Two urban areas with very similar density levels can be
arranged in very different ways. How a planner or developer manages the urban design process and
qualitative factors of an area is critical in developing an area appropriately to its cultural context.

And of course, the feel of a place is also dependent on the urban design features, lot coverage, open space,
architecture and street design. These factors will contribute to the feel of a place but are independent from
the quantitative measures of density. Our collection of case studies allows one to compare places to
understand the similarities and differences caused by different levels of density. Two places may have the
same quantitative measurement while looking very different.

Scale
The term "scale" has many meanings, but the in the Density Atlas, scale refers to the extent of land being
measured. The Density Atlas defines five levels of scale in a typical metropolitan region.

There is no universal definition for “block” or “neighborhood” or “district.” Comparisons become especially
difficult when looking at projects in different geographic contexts.

For example, a neighborhood in the South End of Boston takes a very different physical form than a
neighborhood in a new planned community in Shenzhen, China, such as Wonderland. On the surface,
meaningful comparison seems unlikely because these “neighborhoods” look very different from each other.

However, the Density Atlas establishes criteria to enable appropriate comparisons among seemingly
different developments, as described in other pages.

Density Atlas case studies focus on two scales: A (block or development parcel) and B (neighborhood).
Additionally, each case may also describe characteristics of the larger planning district, city, or regional
context.

SCALE Tseung Kwan O Station Faubourg Saint Antoine Tent City Boston, Ma,
hong kong Paris, France USA

A
Block or
Development
Parcel

This level typically

includes one block or a
few small blocks,
primarily residential,
with few or no
supporting services
within its boundary. In
most cases, the
project will have been
developed by one
entity and is managed
by one organization.
Note that the FAR is
typically higher at
Level A than Level B,
as there is less non-
residential space
required for smaller
sites.
B
Neighborhood

This level is defined as

a cluster of walkable
blocks with some local
services. Many new
developments,
especially in the
developing world, are
of this size. These
clusters include some
neighborhood services
and open space, but
are still mostly self-
contained.

C/D/E
District / City /
Region

At the district, city and

regional scales, the
elements affecting
overall density
increase dramatically,
rendering macro-level
density measurements
less meaningful. FAR
does not apply to
these levels, as the
variability across areas
at these scales is too
great.