Into a suburban landscape: a proposal of housing for the future of the American suburb

Abstract

Architecture is simultaneously a creative and a destructive endeavour. As mankind has become more aware of the natural cycles of creation and destruction, we have begun to perceive that building resources are not available without consequence. Urban development is also a complex construct which follows these cycles of creation and destruction. Unfortunately, the primary processes of urban development are far too often misunderstood. Fragmented and neglected areas have become commonplace throughout many cities as they undergo the continuous change which has become a seemingly inevitable part of modern society. As architects, we should focus our abilities on the more efficient and thoughtful use of land and existing infrastructures as a way of refining the cyclical patterns of contemporary urban development.

This thesis examines the possibility of repairing isolated and disjointed suburban development in and around American cities. We will explore how the continuous refinement of existing development might occur in just one example of a socially and functionally fragmented area of a city. A prototypical suburban housing block is proposed as the basic unit of repair for this particular suburban landscape. A building consisting of thirty-six housing units was designed to be constructed in an existing suburban business district, with the intent of creating the most positive impact on existing development with the least expenditure of energy and space. The architecture of the building itself arises from the following critical investigation into the fundamental elements of housing.