Defining Livability in the Future of Community

To improve livability in downtown pittsburgh, the Colcom Foundation funded 400 planters.

Notions of “livability” are central to the Future of Community; Identity, Purpose, Place. To build a place worth caring about is to bring out the best in a community. On a good day, factors of livability might even preempt critical needs otherwise left for philanthropy.

The definition of livability, however, depends on who you ask.

A statistician defines livability with rigorous criteria involving quantifiable metrics like jobs, cost of living, unemployment, housing, art venues, entertainment, healthcare, educational opportunities, recreation, environmental quality, and transportation. The photographer’s lens, on the other hand, might express livability quite differently.

An online search for the “most livable city” produces extensive research with a common disparity: there’s usually a disconnect between the statistical criteria of livability and how that livability is captured by a photographer.

The heart of livability in the photographer’s lens generally alights upon the natural amenities, the greenery, subtle reminders of seasonal distinctions, and the humble acknowledgment of biological beauty; in other words, factors not curated by the accompanying statistical analysis.

Hoping to harness a quality of livability in downtown Pittsburgh, Colcom Foundation collaborated with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to install 400 planters with five different seasonal displays throughout the year.

The incorporation of nature into an urban setting turns out to be no easy task.

Growing conditions are complicated by sun, wind, humidity, and air. Sunlight shrouded by a tall building causes the solar energy and transpiration rate to differ from one downtown spot to the next. The sun’s ability to peer around skyscraping obstructions also varies on its trajectory from one solstice to the next. Plants on one corner might be exposed to a full complement of sunshine while plants in the adjoining planter receive none. Crews delivering daily water learn the unique personality of every sidewalk by season.

The greening of a downtown is neither simple nor likely to be factored into a livability chart. Yet, it seems worth the effort. It has a place. Planters can artfully be blended into the urban fabric to offer subtle enhancements. They feel right. They make the place into a home. Alas, they are destined to flourish beyond the statistician’s domain.

In any event, this we know. One of these planters will be poised to capture the next imaginative mind when stalking the photographic essence of livability.

John F. Rohe is Vice President – Philanthropy and Secretary at the Colcom Foundation.