The Oasis In Suburbia Desert
I am referring to the trailer parks. Fun fact, South Carolina has the most mobile homes per capita.
I dare not say that I am an expert on this topic by any stretch, but it is a rather interesting topic to say the least.
As we discussed during class, suburban lifestyle can isolate people, it is hard in building communities. I totally agree, I feel like I am still learning to adopt this lifestyle ever since I moved from an urban setting.
But from my brief and shallow observation from the trailer park that is about 5 minutes walk away from me, it seems like they do have a really tight community. I can see a bouncy castle with kids on the front very often along with music and BBQ going at the same time.
On the other hand though, can a “forced” community be a “free” community? Or do communities always inevitably subject their residents into all types of rules? Can a community exist without dictating your neighbor's behavior?
Questions, questions that is all I ever have.
Zach, this is an interesting conversation to have. Suburbia can definitively be self-isolating, just as much as if you were to live with someone. I feel that no matter where one lives, there is a check list of personalities that always seem to make up the community. If one wishes to remain reclusive, they will find a way. If another wishes to put their nose in business that doesn't belong, they will continue to do such. It has been interesting moving and living in various places how these personalities tend to manifest.
ReplyDeleteIt really is interesting to think about what regulations we need, if any, and at any time.
ReplyDeleteWe always see more as improvement right? But do we need as much in experience of being human?
In a pattern language they describe the balance of town and country and how there needs to be little clusters of movement and space. It really is an answer to the question of the failure of cities in the early 1900's. I think the answer to your question is just asking more about community as a whole. If that's the project's design route, then that itself might be the constraint.
The idea of forcing a community is something that I would never imagine in the U.S. - the freedom to live wherever we want is something that is fundamental to our freedom within this country. Perhaps the only way to change the suburban sprawl is to regulate city lines and require a separation between nature and humans.
ReplyDelete