A classic mixed use development is retail stores on the first floor, and apartments on higher floors. But some buildings are also adding in office spaces, as in cubicle and computer desk office spaces, between the retail and residential sections. So you have, for example, first floor is retail, floors 2 to 10 are offices, and 11 to 30 are residential. Which, I don’t know, those buildings always look weird to me, but obviously if it’s more functional and more liveable, looks hardly matter. But, is it better?

The other way of doing it is to simply have dedicated apartments and office buildings, but placed close together. You still get the result of residential and office within walking distance, but in separate buildings.

I’ve heard arguments that homes and offices in the same building can mean that you don’t need to leave the building at all for work, completely eliminating your commute as opposed to merely shortening it, but how applicable is this? What are the chances that where you work and where you live are actually in the same building? And what if you change jobs? Do you then move homes to where your new office is?

What do you think? Are we better served by an “all in one” building, or discrete buildings all placed close together?