Providence in Huntsville looks like many other traditional neighborhood developments, but it also boasts three times the number of jobs as residences. How did it accomplish that and other seemingly impossible tasks?

The most-loved places are comprised of buildings with an endless variety of details within a limited range of architecture, giving distinct and recognizable character.

Authenticity seems impossible today, with places and buildings that look like they could be anywhere, lacking harmony with nature and local culture. But designers can achieve authenticity through effective principles, and a dozen of them are listed here.