I'm Claustrophobic.

The thought of Manhattan scares me. Going to New York, I had a panic attack in the middle of Times Square because of how many people were surrounding me. I felt like I had fallen into a sewer and was drowning. The only good thing was there were a ton of shops I could go into to escape, the bad news is those were full too. I have always been fascinated by the idea of congestion. Why does it happen? Living in a busy city like Chicago, you would think I understand congestion really well, however, nothing and I mean NOTHING compares to New York. The traffic, the busy sidewalks, the people filled shops. There is no where you could go without seeing a person. Don't get me wrong, Chicago is very busy, especially when you get around areas such as Millennium Park however, nothing beats Times Square or the 9/11 Memorial park. I still have this underlying question however, where does all of this congestion come from, and what does that mean for architecture? I also question what this means in terms of technology, sustainability and just life. The technology of architecture I feel has adapted to many kinds of spaces, especially small spaces. I feel that one day in the future we will be doing more historic renovations and tear-downs rather than building on open land, because we will have none left. The next generation of architects are so concerned with sustainability however, we have to take into account the fact that the earth is the earth. Land will diminish before it is replenished. Especially in terms of residential architecture. With the current economy it is almost easier to buy and fix up rather than buy new or build. However, what comes with that are fixer-people who think they can just sell a home at outrageous prices because they chose to go with oak over laminate. Sustainability does not always mean environment-conscious, it also means making architecture sustainable enough that people can afford it. We should look to a future that allows single moms to afford houses on their own without having to have 3 different jobs. It means trying to get as many homeless people off of the street and making affordable housing actually affordable. Architecture changes the way people move, act and live. The ideal city is long outdated, and demands change, and I believe that starts with us. Young architects that are willing to enact change. 

Don't get me wrong New York is beautiful, but I'm claustrophobic.