Suburbia on the Next Level
When asked if I thought moving to Irvine, California would be a hard transition atmosphere-wise, my initial response was yes. However, after visiting over spring break, it will not be extremely different from the areas I am used to living in.
Irvine is suburbia on a grand scale. The city was master-planned from the ground up starting in 1960 by a singular group of people. They planned a series of medium sized neighborhoods, each with their own architectural style and rule sets, and separated functions within those neighborhoods. It is maintained to an immaculate standard, and sidewalks line each street. The car is also emphasized with each road unnecessarily consisting of six lanes even in the residential areas. Mass public transit and new planning strategies haven't been implemented even in the midst of its massive growth over 40 years; instead they abide mostly by their original planning guidelines.
The history and oddity of the city are fascinating to me. As architecture students we have learned that this isn't the way to design cities, yet people are objectively happy there (ranked no. 1 for happiness in 2018). Why is something that shouldn't work, working?
Irvine is suburbia on a grand scale. The city was master-planned from the ground up starting in 1960 by a singular group of people. They planned a series of medium sized neighborhoods, each with their own architectural style and rule sets, and separated functions within those neighborhoods. It is maintained to an immaculate standard, and sidewalks line each street. The car is also emphasized with each road unnecessarily consisting of six lanes even in the residential areas. Mass public transit and new planning strategies haven't been implemented even in the midst of its massive growth over 40 years; instead they abide mostly by their original planning guidelines.
The history and oddity of the city are fascinating to me. As architecture students we have learned that this isn't the way to design cities, yet people are objectively happy there (ranked no. 1 for happiness in 2018). Why is something that shouldn't work, working?
Cypress Villiage
Shady Canyon Neighborhood
One thing I realized when I visited California over spring break - and stayed in Irvine with a friend - is that you rarely are where you actually live. Everyone embraces the car-dependent lifestyle so they're used to driving literally everywhere. I was pretty much only in Irvine to sleep and not just because we we're doing touristy things, but because there really wasn't anything to do around the area. I walked to Trader Joes (only a mile away) and when I got back people were shocked that I did not drive.
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