28.3.09
Talks James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia
Posted by
marmeso
at
11:32 AM
James Kunstler puts into words perfectly of how the model for creating cities for the last 60 years has failed us. The lack of clearly understanding the importance of the basic ideas of creating a sense of place within these areas has led us down a path that is almost irreversible. I find it interesting that there seems to be very little solutions to the problem that suburbia has created. He loosly shows the idea of trying to re-urbanize the parking lots of large malls and big box stores. I think that if anything his solution points out that it is possible that there is no solution to re-urbanizing some of these areas.
A longer documentary "The End of Suburbia" starts off with a quote by James Kunstler. It goes into further detail of how this all started and why it will continue to be a path down a dead end street. Here is the link
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i ran across this presentation before and felt provoked to do a few things differently after watching.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful lecture illustrating the cohesive general opinion of all designers and urbanists. I find it interesting that Kunstler seems to be sending a message of warning, "repent or implode."
ReplyDeleteThe problem with this opinion is that it is bunk if it falls on death ears. The problem with designers is that we get too caught up in what needs to be done versus how to best achieve what needs to be done. We need to realize that we can not change the way people live based on the structures they inhabit. If you disagree with this bias then look up the infinite amount of examples that prove this idea, most importantly the social experiment engaged in the doomed Guild House by Robert Venturi.
People engage their lifestyles through many other factors despite architecture and urbanism. I am not disagreeing in Kunstler's criticism, instead I argue that as designers, we must accept the destructive suburban lifestyle, and then adapt and soothe the masses into a better was to live and work. Instead of holding on to old concepts of urban cores and density, we must discover the best way to use the vehicle as a means for defining place.
That is the real challenge. Even though the hydrogen car will not be the savior of the next century, the vehicle will still define the life of the average American. Embrace the vehicle, embrace suburbia, embrace the commute, these things will not change overnight. We must design the bridge between suburbia and urbanity.