It was Happening Then, and its Happening Now

If I am going to talk about Little Boxes then I have to reference the TV series Weeds. Little Boxes was the introduction theme song and at the time when I watched the show (long before studying architecture) I had no idea what it all meant. But after learning about it now and over the past few years I always go back to the TV show and wonder why that theme song is relevant to that story line. And it makes sense, Nancy Botwin is a typical suburban mother one minute, and then her husband dies and life crumbles before her eyes. She is no longer the picture perfect typical suburb mom.

As I read what Margaret Reynolds had to say I became more aware of positive effects that these ticky-tacky houses have. Initially, you look at the houses and say wow those are going up extremely quickly and are not using the most durable materials as they do so. But these houses are of the more affordable American Dream lifestyle for people. I currently live in one of those suburb neighborhoods of the ticky-tacky homes. My wife and I are living on a single income and this is what we are able to afford, and we love it. Throughout my neighborhood is an ethnically diverse community, because a lot of us are unable to afford living on the Charleston peninsula so we are out here on John's Island. We like to think that by living within the city we will be surrounded by more people and with that will come more diversity and exposure to experiences. But I think that is the ideal, and it stops there. It would be nice for everyone to be able to live within the downtown of a city, but we are able to live in much better conditions as we sprawl away from the dense parts of the city.