Junkspace has Potential

When Koolhaas writes about Junkspace, he describes it in many ways, and it seems he sometimes even contradicts himself. But I think this statement sums up his ideas well: “If space-junk is the human debris that litters the universe, Junk-Space is the residue mankind leaves on the planet.” When I think about the junkspace that mankind is leaving on the planet, my first thought is of suburbia. The downfall of cities, where everything is exactly the same, and it all leaves you with a sense of unnaturalness and loneliness. So what do we do about suburbia? Do we abandon these spaces? Or do we try to revitalize them? Can it even be done?

I truly admire, Ellen Dunham-Jones, who wrote the book, “Retrofitting Suburbia”. Her ideas about using vacant or underperforming spaces for new uses like turning malls into retirement homes and abandoned airports into new urbanist neighborhoods are great examples of how we can take advantage of junkspace. It has potential, and I think as architects it is our job to maximize that and hopefully improve the way people live in suburbia.  

Austin's municipal airport retrofitted to become a new urbanist neighborhood