Mini Essay Daniel Taylor

Desire for anti-suburbia in suburbia

As I move closer to getting married and buying a house my dread of suburbia grows. I would much rather live in a small house on a decent size lot of land where I can spread out and build the homestead that suits mine and my wife’s needs.  The desire to create what I want instead of buying what works for everyone else is extremely strong in me which is why I think I enjoy Tom Kundig’s work so much.  I have framed suburban houses before and I know where they come from.  Pre-designed plans from magazines that the contractor just builds how he likes.  To me this is like living in a cheap doll house and calling something my home that is meant for a ken doll (which I most certainly am not).  Tom Kundig’s work screams the fact that someone built this and is proud of his workman ship.  All elements are natural and not dolled up to be something they are not but use what they are for the beauty of the space, in a word authentic, the exact opposite of the stereotypical suburban house. I grew up on a farm so I am not as in tune with the suburban life issues as others but from what I see and read the issue appears to be that suburban life lacks authenticity.  Everything seems to be a constant front for the community to see—the perfect catalog house, the perfect American family, the white picket fence and the perfect life.

The idea of the catalog house in its self begins the process of creating this artificial life.  Instead of having a home that is designed for you and is transformed for you, you become transformed to the house.  You start living in a way that would be expected for someone who the house would be designed for to live inhabiting you instead of you inhabiting it.  The small but all too real separation between you and the community also creates a zone of artificiality.  You have to pass through this but with the convenient family car you only need to be in that zone for a small amount of time making it easier to put up that front, And because you have a car you can work far away from your community and therefore not really know your neighbors and they do not know the real you. This is probably fine at first but after a while I’m sure it takes its toll on people and becomes more difficult to put on the front as time goes on or when stressful situations arrive.

Mill villages essentially were a predecessor to suburbs but had one major advantage over the suburb in that all the people that lived together also worked together.  They knew everyone and I’m sure people talked about their issues with each other while at work.  Working together builds trust and confidence in each other which builds a community and only through authenticity and trust do people become a community.  Therefore I feel that I need the extra space where ever I decide to live so that I can have a place to work and I’ll tell you why.  Growing up on my farm there was always work to do and sometimes you couldn’t always do it all yourself or you needed a piece of equipment that you didn’t have.  Well Mr. Long Down the old dirt road was always willing to lend a hand or a tool when we needed it because he knew that when his plow gets worn down we always refinish it and mend any cracks for him.  It’s kind of a trading system but I don’t know who gets the better value, us or him, or all of our other neighbors that we help and help us.  The bond of hard work between your fellow man is hard to break and is worth more to me than gold, so I want to continue this in my life and have my children grow up with these experiences too. Therefor I need a place to work, so I can help my neighbor and he can help me and we can build a community all based on a work shop that is more tightknit than the closest suburban community.