Start to Sustainable Living
The article “Retrofitting
Suburbia” came out is 2009 with the effects of the Recession on the housing
market. I wonder after COVID we will experience similar architectural responses
to retrofit and renovate existing spaces, doing less new builds. With the
pandemic we have begun to realize what we really can do without and how society
can function from the home. Martha Stewart commented in her interview with Rem
Koolhaas that technology is moving faster than homes can keep up and we will
need to adapt.
After reading
“The Suburbs: The New American Nightmare” something I never thought about was
the retention in the development. These developments are NOT communities
they lack employment in them, recreational activity, schools, churches etc.
This is the model we once saw with mill villages containing all that is needed
for the community within the development.
agrihoods
If we want
to really be sustainable I think we need to get back to this community within
the development allowing people to walk to all the amenities in the city, now
contained in the neighborhood. The solution “Retrofitting Suburbia” gives is
to: increase the efficiency of public
transportation, increase choice in hosing type and affordability, local
connectivity and more green spaces and really take advantage of the adaptive
reuse in developments.
It seems to me that a way to keep retention and move in a sustainable direction in these developments is to allow them to be more adaptable and contain the necessary amenities needed. In order for that to happen the city would need to expand beyond its boarders and spread out. The affordable housing crisis isn't going to get any better after COVID unless we get creative. A great example of a start of this is co-housing and argihoods.
cohousing
I want to echo on the variety of housing options for the suburbs. I'm sure this is a relatable dilemma, but my neighbors who are now empty nesters would lover to downsize their current homes without having to leave the neighborhood. The problem is, there are no good options! There are some new townhouse developments nearby, but they're all much more expensive than our houses now so what would be the point in downsizing? And living in a smaller, more affordable unit would require them to leave the community they love.
ReplyDeleteI think one point you could argue there is something good to take away from suburbs are the benefits of that cul-de-sacs brings to neighborhoods. They're a space with extremely limited vehicular movement, with houses circling open public space which almost forces community to thrive within them whether it be for Fourth of July cookouts, New Years Eve sparklers or simply kids chasing each other.
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