Over the Hill

   

Active Adult Community, Florida

    When discussing the overall topic of suburban versus urban developments, one of the key factors in the consideration of benefits and issues are often related to the overall quality of life provided by the structure of those landscapes. When dealing with the suburban environment, it is important to note the heavy reliance on vehicles for transport outside of the residence, while within the urban environment, it is possible to move through these spaces without the need for a vehicles. On the other hand, it might be much harder to access green spaces in the urban context, compared to people who might have a yard or parking much closer in the suburban context. 

    In a consideration of how to improve these contexts, I was trying to assess some examples of successful communities, and one example came to mind: retirement (or active adult) communities. It is these places, most often built in a suburban fashion with other available amenities and features, that become highly desirable for people seeking to live independently in older age. And while much of these communities are definitely artificial, they seem to achieve some kind of balance between the two ways of living. For one, they are able to promote physical activity and community building through a variety of activities provided to the residents. Some of this is achieved through the suburban element of the individual residences and sidewalks, while others of it are provided through more urban shared spaces. And while it is possible to utilize vehicles in these places, other choose to forgo that for the sake of their physical wellbeing. I think these spaces would be an interesting assessment of how to blend together suburban fabrics with a kind of urban lifestyle, both to help our environment and our communities.