Is the curated lifestyle for you?

The curated lifestyle is offered by many urban developments.

Do you sometimes find yourself wishing someone designed your daily life?

Every day, many of us have to traverse through traffic jams, dirty streets and uncomfortable surroundings. In exchange for the urbanization of our cities, we get to breathe in the ugly byproducts of pollution and congestion. While many have no choice but to weather the storm, those who can afford it choose to live in “curated” communities to avoid this unpleasant side of city living.

By curated, we mean those places that are professionally designed with aesthetics, health and environmental impact in mind. These places are starting to populate the metro nowadays in the form of condominiums, co-working spaces, offices and other properties.

Such locations offer a haven in the middle of the bustling city. The rising demand only goes to show that people do crave the curated lifestyle.

But what does it exactly mean to live a well-designed life? Is it the future of city living? Or does it imply the death of the city’s spirit?

Living a curated lifestyle introduces you to people who share your interests.

Defining the curated lifestyle

Everyone has their own activities and hobbies. Some of us enjoy going to the cinema, running in parks or cooking at home. Others turn their home into a workplace or a gathering venue for friends.

However you choose to live, a curated community should allow you to do all these activities. As international design firm Gensler puts it, “a curated place…caters to different lifestyles and demographics to stay active and attractive on a 24/7 basis.” Living in a curated community should also enable you to pursue your passions. It puts you together with people who share your interests, allowing you to build a network of friends and connections.

It follows that if you live in a community designed to accommodate your personal activities, you live a curated lifestyle. Such developments are often mixed-use in nature, offering spaces to cater to your residential, commercial and institutional needs and wants.

The perks of pre-planning

There are many benefits to living in a curated community.

For one, you skip the undesirable aspects of city living. Pollution, traffic and other urban problems become things of the past as everything has been thought-out carefully. You save on time and money traveling because the essentials are within your reach. You avoid getting to work late. You also have more time to spend with your loved ones or to pursue your passions.

Curated communities are sometimes criticized for enforcing a certain lifestyle to its patrons.

In a nutshell, the curated lifestyle rewards you with convenience and time.

In addition, a curated community puts you in a place where your neighbors share the same ideals and passions as you do. Many people who live in such areas meet new friends and develop business contacts easily.

Lastly, if you choose to work in a curated community, you can be sure that your workplace would be comfortable and conducive to your business. The distinction between work and pleasure becomes a blur. In a curated workplace, your stresses are often eliminated and your productivity is heightened through a balanced lifestyle and a beautiful environment.

When perfection becomes boring

While the curated lifestyle might sound like heaven, it is not without its detractors.

For some people, living a life of convenience and luxury might feel superficial or even boring. Others meanwhile may still prefer living in the natural hustle and bustle of the city. Without the sights and sounds of urbanization, they lose their drive and inspiration to pursue their passions.

Planned communities minimize your time in traffic.

Living in a curated community may likewise keep you from experiencing adventures you might encounter in an urban jungle. In the words of Kat Hanna, a research manager at Centre for London, “In the search for the like-minded, we risk ruling out the opportunities for chance encounters, for excitement and for genuine exploration.” With everything in your life programmed, you lose the thrill of discovering the unknown.

There is also the threat of losing character diversity in the community. Through shared amenities, everybody is encouraged to pursue the same interests and activities. Every day, you encounter the same people, the same surroundings and the same community. It can get monotonous after a while.

So while the curated lifestyle aims to provide you with the perfect life, it may eliminate things that make life exciting. While a designed community frees you from many urban problems, it can also enclose you in its pre-conceived notions of your desires and needs.

A balance between two worlds

So with a curated lifestyle on one end and a wild, urban existence on the other, which way of life would you like to pursue?

The curated lifestyle may sometimes keep you away from adventures in the city.

If you can’t make up your mind, there is always the middle ground. Nowadays, developers are recognizing a need for growth in planned communities. Thankfully, many are beginning to provide open spaces, customizable facilities and personal choices to residents.

While these new communities remain determined to solve urban problems, they also recognize the needs of people to experience diversity and explore the richness of the city.

If you want to get the best of both worlds, do not restrict yourself to one kind of lifestyle. Even if you live in a planned community, do not be afraid to venture out and discover the world. In the same way, if you find yourself stuck in the crazy urban jungle without the means to escape it, curate your own life and organize what you can.

At the end of the day, the spirit of the city is made up of both the curated and the uncharted. Experiencing both realms will allow you to grow fully as a person.

Sources:
Kaique Rocha and Özgür Ünal via pexels.com
Pixabay.com
www.gensler.com
www.citymetric.com