Why the city still calls us back
We often dream of leaving the city, yet find ourselves returning to it time and again.
Earlier this week, I spent a day walking through the streets where I grew up, joined by friends visiting from Missio Austria and ERDA Foundation. We traced familiar paths, stopping at corners that once held challenges and small wins, the kind that shape who we become.
Seen through fresh eyes, the city revealed itself in a different light.
Mix of old and new
The urban areas of our metros are a mix of old and new.
Not all spaces are beautiful. Some are worn, crowded, and uneven. Yet even in these contrasts, there is movement. Buildings rise where land is scarce, while the edges stretch outward, absorbing nearby towns and reshaping what we now call the suburbs.
The city does not stay still—it grows, adapts, and continues.
Despite frustrations with traffic, density, and expense, among others, the city’s pull remains strong. Its ability to draw people back, even when suburban calm beckons, lies at the heart of its enduring appeal.
Rhythm of daily life
Part of this pull lies in the rhythm of daily life.
Living in the metro means proximity. Workplaces, whether in corporate settings or independent practice, are within reach. Opportunities are immediate.
For young professionals, the city becomes both a proving ground and a platform, where careers begin and connections are formed.
Beyond work, the metro offers choices that shape everyday living. Malls and commercial centers bring together essential services, new products, and leisure spaces. Access to dining, entertainment, and varied lifestyles is readily available.
This allows people to move between work, rest, and recreation without going far, making daily life more manageable despite the pace.
Progressing role
As life progresses, so does the city’s role.
Raising a family in the metro follows its own logic. When my daughter was born, we were never more than a taxi ride away from her pediatrician or the nearest emergency room. Schools, both public and private, dotted our neighborhood.
Support systems like educational, medical, and social are close by. Pediatricians, specialists, and learning centers become part of everyday life. The city becomes an ecosystem of care.
Even as we age, the same pattern holds. The presence of hospitals, doctors, and essential services offers reassurance. It is not just convenience–it is security.
Cost of living in the city
Of course, this comes at a cost. Living in the city often means smaller spaces and higher expenses. It requires constant adjustment to shared environments.
But in return, the metro provides infrastructure that supports daily life, such as transport, communication, power, and access to services that keep everything moving.
There are moments when the city eases. During long breaks such as the Lenten weekend, the metro feels different. Roads clear, the pace slows, and many return to their hometowns. These breaks are not departures but pauses–opportunities to reconnect and recharge.
Because for many, the metro is both a destination and a return point.
It is a second home for some, and a primary home for others whose lives are rooted in its streets. Its appeal is not in perfection, but in its ability to hold contrasts of old and new, dense and expanding, demanding and supportive.
Quality of life
As our metros continue to grow upward and outward, there is both opportunity and responsibility for developers and the government.
Growth should not only be measured by scale, but also by the quality of life it creates. Access to green spaces, health and wellness, and more equitable services must define progress.
The city’s enduring draw lies in its ability to nurture and connect us. Its next step is to harness this power to create better and more inclusive growth for everyone.
The author is a LEED Fellow, ASEAN Architect, UAP Fellow, and educator with over 25 years of professional practice in architecture and sustainability
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