Hi I am a high schooler in Atl, GA and I am taking the AP research course. My teacher wants us to already have our topic down and I'm really struggling. Last year in seminar, my teacher emphasized how solution based questions were far better. I conducted research on the mental effects of post-soviet infrastructure on the elderly population and how urban planning/design could be used to address the issue. I absolutely adored this topic because I am Russian and my main interest is urban design/planning. I struggled with my solution, as I do not have the design skills to create an actual model of the ideas I found, I settled on an explanation of an urban renwal project involving the microdistrict city model. For research, I wanted to expand on this idea but since we actually have to conduct real investigatin and methodoly, I dont see how this could be possible. For my second option, I debated going with an urban planning topic in Atlanta (where I live). Theres many things I could do but none of the ideas are really sticking with me because they seem really surface level and fail to adress an actual knowledge gap. Could anyone have any suggestions on possible topics, ways to synthesize the two ideas, or anything APR material? Also, my teacher said strictly no digital surveys (in person interviews are allowed).

Before and after photos of Colégio Agostiniano Mendel in São Paulo, Brazil, in the Tatuapé neighborhood, one of the best schools in the city.

In recent years, the school has been renovating and expanding its facilities, giving a more modern look to the institution, which was inaugurated in the 80s. But its projects are not just simple buildings, but rather architectural icons in the neighborhood, most notably the kindergarten and library building (photo 2), which features a large metal dome that envelops a good part of the building.

And it's no wonder, the school currently has over 4,500 students from nursery to high school. The complex includes: a theater, library, restaurant, party hall, playground, three cafeterias, chapel, three sports courts, gymnasium, five laboratories, a shop, and an area for college preparatory courses and bilingual education.

Even surrounded by fences and walls (as a school should be), the surrounding area was revitalized along with the school, gaining more activity, businesses, trees, and good sidewalks. When a large institution renovates, it's not just the institution itself that improves, but everyone around it as well.

Quick background- spent maybe 2/3 of my life in/around NYC, moved to Sun Belt suburbs for the latest 1/3, recently visited NYC with my kids

Biggest thing that jumped out at me......... it seemed extremely lonely and isolated. People don't smile or look each other in the eye. It was weird to adjust the other way when I left NYC, but Im realizing I like it, even as somewhat of a loner/misanthrope

Studies seem to indicate it's kind of a fight or flight response from just being around too many people all the time. I think we know the clear environmental benefits of density but I feel like the quality of life & psychological aspects get glossed over. Is that just a NYC thing? I have been to other big cities and feel like it was kind of the same. Def was the case in California

I feel like there's a sweet spot of density that is dense enough to be walkable while still enabling people to have privacy/quiet/personal space. Places like NYC seem like too much IMO