REIMAGINING SUB-URBAN LIVING

image showing living where the essential things are in proximity

(Image source: architonic.com)

In the reading by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson, Retrofitting Suburbia, Urban Land, Sustainable Suburbs, they talk mainly about retrofitting strategies and mix use development which helps in minimizing urban sprawl and promoting infill development to preserve green spaces and maximizes land efficiency. The problems that I personally have observed in the cities in the USA that I have lived so far is that the commercial areas, the big IT companies, the architectural offices, banks, etc. are often concentrated in the downtown area of the city. Generally people cannot afford to live in the downtown area or in the core city. Therefore they have to live in suburbs and commute every day to their respective offices. This creates dependence on car due to lack of public transportation. It increases heavy loads of traffic congestion during peak office hours wasting people's time and creating mental tension. If we focus more on mixed use development which integrate residential, commercial and recreational spaces within close proximity in the sub urban areas, it will make lives of people much easier. It will also help in decreasing other problems such as traffic congestion, pressure on the road infrastructure during morning and evening peak hours and problems of parking.

In my opinion, urban sprawl is not the answer. We need to reuse the buildings where possible and reconsider the way we are planning our cities. We need to supervise our urban growth and take decisions wisely. There is a wide scope of urban infill. These include turning parking lots into parks or green areas, repurposing vacant commercial buildings for residential or communal usage, and converting abandoned shopping malls into mixed-use complexes.