The ties that hold a community together aren't usually built through effort or intention. They're built through repeated presence in the same place at the same time. This piece explores the surprising science of how your commute, your transit stop, and the way your neighborhood is designed are quietly determining who you know — and who you never will.

A connected community isn't something that happens organically. It requires the right spatial conditions — and the right people in the profession to design them. This piece explores what the research says about community connection and why representation in design matters.