I think architecture and urban design have a significant role to play , like adding a little club in large residential towers , where residents could meet and socialize , and adding public libraries , some simple scientific facilities and art galleries in neighbourhoods where like minded people could meet each other and get to know each other , in the examples you mentioned there is feature in the space you had been living in that facilitated your encounter with strangers
I completely agree. I remember when I first moved back to Dubai after a decade away, I noticed how many malls significantly reduced the number of benches they had and even those that had benches people would use them to look at their smartphones rather than interact. I wrote about this in Sail EMagazine here: https://sailemagazine.com/2020/05/where-did-public-benches-go/
So I guess a mix of architecture/interior design and the availability of smartphones make a difference. I also remember how I grew up in an old building in Dubai that had a huge common play area where we got meet with the neighborhood kids unlike the second apartment we moved to in the same area that had no common area and was less safe to play in. After we moved to Jumeirah in 2009, connections with neighbors worsened further.
I think architecture and urban design have a significant role to play , like adding a little club in large residential towers , where residents could meet and socialize , and adding public libraries , some simple scientific facilities and art galleries in neighbourhoods where like minded people could meet each other and get to know each other , in the examples you mentioned there is feature in the space you had been living in that facilitated your encounter with strangers
I completely agree. I remember when I first moved back to Dubai after a decade away, I noticed how many malls significantly reduced the number of benches they had and even those that had benches people would use them to look at their smartphones rather than interact. I wrote about this in Sail EMagazine here: https://sailemagazine.com/2020/05/where-did-public-benches-go/
So I guess a mix of architecture/interior design and the availability of smartphones make a difference. I also remember how I grew up in an old building in Dubai that had a huge common play area where we got meet with the neighborhood kids unlike the second apartment we moved to in the same area that had no common area and was less safe to play in. After we moved to Jumeirah in 2009, connections with neighbors worsened further.