Architecture for the Neighborhood

In a time of the sprawling suburb losing popularity and the movement of people back into cities, I ask myself how can architecture embody the qualities of communities and neighborhoods in the suburbs? Drive into almost any suburb and you will find replicas of fast food chains and stores that make you feel as though you could be anywhere. This has its advantages for travelers – they can always find something familiar to them. What about the inhabitants of the place though? Where can they create their identity? Urban cities like San Francisco and New York are known for their distinctive architectural qualities that make them undeniably recognizable and the people who live there take pride in that. Even small towns create their own charm and unique qualities that can separate them from others because they are the ones creating the built environment they live in. In the in between that is the suburbs, those cities need to do a better job of embodying the spirit of the people who live there. They should take pride and ownership in their city and be given the opportunity to have a voice in what their built environment looks like. While there are other reasons people are moving towards the more urban cities right now, perhaps if the suburbs felt more like a unique place to call home, people would be happier there.

San Francisco neighborhood

Manhattan, New York