This article seems all over the place and I don't agree with most of it.<p>>For one thing, there are autos all over Paris, so at least in principle it ought to be possible to build in ways that are both highly attractive and allow for cars.<p>The boulevards and avenues of Paris were built by the government as infrastructure improvements and became known for their use as long parks, effectively; yes, they were built to be scenic, and the fact that they're wide enough for car traffic is a nice side effect. Modern automotive architecture, though, goes further; you need parking lots or garages, and large signage visible from the road. Developers don't really care that a roadside commercial development looks pretty; people are going to drive to Target all the same. And, of course, let's not forget that Paris wants to limit automobile traffic as much as possible.<p>> Diamond Head may also contain a partial answer to the larger mystery. Perhaps what modern neighborhoods are lacking is coordination...<p>If we're using Diamond Head as our benchmark, it looks like what most modern neighborhoods are lacking is millionaires, not coordination. Your average suburban development is going to be quite tightly coordinated: built by a single builder out of a book of facades, floorplans, and materials.<p>> These days, most homeowners decide to “go it alone.”<p>Who is "most," here? I don't think most homeowners are building custom homes; heck, a quick source I found shows that only 13% of home buyers in 2020 bought new construction[0].<p>The only thing I agree with here is that homes are designed around the interior first. Look at any suburban sprawl house, and you'll see a hideous mishmash of materials, window shapes and sizes, and rooflines--especially when you go past the front of the house and start looking at the parts you can't see from the street.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/home-buying-statistics" rel="nofollow">https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/home-buying-statistics</a>