Suburbian Future

The image of the suburban town was to promote the idea of domesticity. Middle-class families living happily in a safe neighborhood was the marketing strategy. Separation of work and life is an industrial revolution thought, that expressed itself in the lifestyle and culture and hence the architecture. It’s interesting to see the opposite point of view also reflected in the cinema from the 60s, where suburbia became a trap. It was a place of monotony and boredom often causing people to react to it in a violent manner. Psycho along with Bates Motel taps into this issue significantly and so do many other stories.

That said, I personally think that suburbia today has the potential for future development, probably more than city centers. Since their planning was centered on the domestic life, their redevelopment and densification will enrich the character of these spaces while maintaining the neighborhood character,( which may lack in cities, debatable). Former SHoP partner, scholar, author and urbanist Vishaan Chakrabarti, also suggests that  if the affordability crisis in urban areas drives more people out of city centers, then maybe mixed-use centers could be located all around a periphery, creating new conditions that are very well suited for the new technologies and environmental challenges that face the suburbs. These suburbs, then, become dispersed smaller city centers, that allow for the city to grow and expand.

Summerville is the suburban town next to Charleston in South Carolina. The town is actively trying to revive its old historic downtown area and is becoming increasingly favored by the younger population.