The suburban home is a conceptual symbol of the American Dream available for purchase. As a symbol, its emphasis on surface lead to repetition and homogeneity.
This, aided by auto-centric development and the introduction of the air conditioner, facilitated a lack of interaction at the community scale.
During the post-World War II period, white flight from the cities combined with suburban housing policies excluding minorities created all-white Privatopias.
As a reaction to Civil Liberties, the suburbs began to utilize exclusionary zoning in order to separate lowincome non-Whites from middle-class residents.
Single-Family
Retail
Commercial
Industrial
Two-Family
Multi-Family
The notions of suburbia are at odds with reality. Today, as Whites move back to cities, in the wake of the foreclosure crisis, minorities are rapidly being drawn in.
Share of Population in Suburbs by Race/Ethnicity 80
76.7
77.8
70 57.1
60
61.9 53.7
58.7 50.5
50
43.0
40 30 20 10 0
Whites
2000
Asians
Hispanics
2008
Blacks
This places us in a timely position to break down segregated suburban enclaves and redefine the suburb as a collective of strategic urbanity and community.
Historically, immigrating minorities would first move to cities, and upon acquiring an economic foothold, might move out to the suburbs.
Today, immigrants are increasingly moving directly to suburbs, foregoing any significant experience with major urban environments.
Like many other regions, Westchester County, and its image of upper-middle class White society, is experiencing a demographic shift.
Overall
Population Change
White
White
Black
Black
Asian
Asian
Hispanic
Hispanic
Westchester County Population Change, 2000-2010
The Town of Ossining is a microcosm of this shift, yet positions itself in a precarious situation, containing two distinct villages: Ossining and Braircliff Manor.
OSS BRI
OSS BRI
Population Change
OSS BRI
White
OSS BRI
Black
OSS BRI
Asian
Hispanic
Ossining/Briarcliff Manor Population Change, 2000-2010
The Village of Ossining is home to 7,543 foreign born residents which account for 30% of its population whereas the Village of Briarcliff Manor is home to only 833.
10.1% of the Village of Ossining’s residents were born in Ecuador - the third highest percentage in the country. These immigrants are coming from mostly rural areas.
10.1% of OSSINING’s residents were born in Ecuador - the third highest percentage in the country.
BRIARCLIFF MANOR is home to only 833 foreign born residents which account for 10% of its population.
Consequently, the Village of Ossining is only 37.1% White whereas the Village of Briarcliff Manor is 83.2% White.
OSSINING
Hispanic
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
Asian
Black
WESTCHESTER
White
It follows that this division is reflected not only in the racial make-up of the villages, but also in the household income data.
Median Household Income 200000
150000
100000
50000
0
Ossining
Braircliff Manor
Westchester
The development and zoning of the two villages is also markedly different. 58.05% of Ossining’s residences are single family while Briarcliff is at a staggering 95.09%.
OSSINING
Condominium
Multi-Family
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
Two + Three Family
Multi-Structure
WESTCHESTER
Estate and Rural
Single-Family
It follows that the discord is also present in both the provision of open space and the overall density in the two villages.
Residential Density
Open Space Acerage Per Residential Unit 0.15
10
0.12
8
0.09
6
0.06
4
0.03
2
0.00
0
Ossining
Braircliff Manor
Westchester
As the population rose, the county became more segregated. All the new low-income housing was erected in towns that already had well represented minority populations.
N Single-Family Residence
Multi-Family Residence
Business
In the midst of cultural and economic transformation, towns made use of zoning to prevented the construction of high-density housing in White neighborhoods.
N Single-Family Residence
Multi-Family Residence
Business
In response to the mandates from the Obama Administration, Westchester has set forth a plan to construct a mere 297 affordable housing units throughout the county. 3 units
26 units
1 unit 83 units
OSSINING
36 units
14 units
9 units
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
2 units 1 unit
10 units
Ownership Housing Ownership Housing w/Rental Unit(s) Rental Housing Non-eligible municipalities
17 units 4 units 3 units 2 units 2 units
18 units
46 units 3 units
While mass rebuilding of the suburbs is not possible, we can use the current flux status of zoning to position a new intervention which might break down enclaves.
B
AS
AP
A
Historically, schools attempted to break barriers through integration. However, students were assigned to schools based on location, thereby segregating them economically.
TYPICAL ELEMENTARY STRUCTURE
Ossining actually has a unique precedent for its school system. It demonstrates the community’s interest in establishing a more positive heterogeneity.
OSSINING ELEMENTARY STRUCTURE
Unfortunately, the MID two villages have their own school districts. Worse yet, Briarcliff students actually drive 1ST+2ND farther away from diverse Ossining en route to school. 3RD+4TH
5TH
ING
OS S BR I
OS
SIN
PRE-K+K
SC
HO O
LS
HIGH
ELEM
LS
HOO
F SC
IF RCL
BRIA
OSS BRI
HIGH MID
Everywhere except in the low-income apartment and residential zone, there are an abundance of roads crossing the line between the villages.
OID AV
OS S BR I
?
OSS BRI
Thus, the existing roadways establish a convoluted path to the new “go-to” Stop ‘n Shop supermarket from Briarcliff.
OS S BR I
OSS BRI
A new shortcut has the potential to increase flow to and from this destination. The site, via its location along a along this shortcut, increases in validity.
OS S BR I
OSS BRI
More importantly, the site straddles the conceptual and literal seam between villages, on one side low income and ethic, and on the other mostly white upper-middle class.
OS S BR I
Of
OSS BRI
Apt
Mc
Presently, the site is an unprogrammed linear greenspace which functions as a microcosm of the conceptual and literal division between Ossining and Briarcliff.
By programming this space we can bring the two communities into contact with each other...
Creating a membrane that they may pass between.
Distributing the program establishes a north-south axis where one experiences the transition between communities.
As this infrastructure passes between the backyards of these residences, it subverts the traditional role of the facade as presentation unto the community.
However, the suburban facade is also a device for controlling privacy. As such it has an underlying logic which can actually generate familiarity and exploration.
Comfort and familiarity are manifested via the delamination of the facade into a deep space, establishing a series of intermediary, interpenetrating zones.
BACK YARD TREES
BEDROOMS SCREENED IN PORCH
PORCH KITCHEN
SHRUBBERY
FRONT YARD
SIDEWALK FENCE
STREET
We can apply these logics to generate hybrid scenarios, subvert traditional public/private relationships and create moments of inclusion and exclusion.
MAINTAIN CONDITION
FREE TRADE ZONE
MATERIALIZE DIVISION
VISUAL PERMEABILITY
REINFORCE HIERARCHY
MOAT
INVERSION
CENTRAL VOID
By creating a glitch in the system of daily routines, we might effectively introduce these cultures to one another without forcing them to reside in perpetual adjacency. B
B
AS
PR
A
AP
OG
RES
SIO N
A
Each of the typical suburban programs can be fractured and redistributed, creating an ideal organization/codification of adjacencies to generate unique conditions of overlap.
PARK
GYM + SPORTS FACILITIES
BATHS
LAUNDROMAT + CAFES + DRY CLEANING BARS
MARKET
A linear infrastructure linking cultures and destabilizing insular enclaves, recollecting community and urbanity, promoting the suburbs as a revitalized landscape suitable for shifting demographics via the mediation of division.