> Central Park is a desirable place to spend time, unlike the artificial, pseudopublic spaces that separate highrise complexes.
Have you ever lived in a high-rise surrounded by open space? A lot of people, myself included, really like it.
You're stating your own personal preference as if it were some universal fact.
You also seem to have a limited understanding of housing design. For example, lots of Corbusier-inspired high-rise developments have shops and restaurants mixed in among the parks and buildings.
I suspect the bulk of the complaints people have with high-rise housing projects for low-income residents in the US are driven more by the policies and operations of low-income housing - lack of maintenance, poor security, etc. The design model has worked out quite well for higher income residents in plenty of places - even in the US, for example, near south Florida beaches.