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It is a great issue what is the most essential value of cities, whether aesthetic or practical point of view. In my opinion, the beauty of a city supersedes its function.
On the one hand, a functional city consists of better infrastructures, for example, public transportation and high-quality educational institutions, compared to other ordinary cities. That leads to people wanting to live in the city because it is significantly more convenient. For instance, Seoul, which is the one of the largest city and full of functions in South Korea, is one of the most desirable city to live for south Korean, because it has not only better opportunities for higher education but also well-organized public transportation and even airport, which allow people to move anywhere easily.
On the other hand, the beautiful and fascinated city exerts a positive influence for a city's economy because it can contribute to tourism. Lots of people from other cities or countries are willing to visit the beautiful city for their vacation, and they will spend money on hotels and restaurants. Hence, cities' aesthetical value activates the local economic field. Moreover, citizens, who live in the beautiful city, show higher satisfaction with their city. For example, in South Korea, there is a recent trend that people want to move from Seoul to Jeju Island, the most beautiful region in Korea. The reason why they want to leave the functional city is that they want to escape from population density and desire to enjoy nature.
In conclusion, although a functional city can give citizens a more convenient life and more opportunities for high-quality education, a beautiful city includes greater value, like booming tourism and higher citizen satisfaction. There should naturally also be a certain degree of balance. |