Spinner Matthew Suburban Intervention MArch Fall2014 by Matthew Spinner

SUBURBAN INTERVENTION

THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN SUBURBS

Suburban Intervention: The Future of American Suburbs

Matthew Allen Spinner

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Architecture Department in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture at Savannah College of Art and Design ÂŠ November 2014, Matthew Allen Spinner

The author hereby grants SCAD permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic thesis copies of document in whole or in part in any medium now know or hereafter created.

Author

Committee Chair

Committee

Suburban Intervention: The Future of American Suburbs

Arpad Ronaszegi Timothy Woods Roger Bowman

Abstract

Suburban Intervention: The Future of American Suburbs

Matthew Allen Spinner

November 2014

The intent of my thesis involved analyzing a traditionally developed suburban environment. In an attempt to minimize energy use at many different levels of design, this thesis will remedy the constant necessity for automobile use during many aspects of daily life, provide an alternative to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current suburban developmental practices, and create a space that competes with the current migration patterns of the millennial generation.

DEDICATION This thesis book is dedicated to those who believed in me, even when I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe in myself. First, to Michael and Wendy Spinner for their overall guided support throughout my entire educational discovery. It has been quite the journey to say the least. Without their kindness and generosity in putting my educational progress ahead of their own personal priorities, this thesis project certainly would not be here today. To my grandparents, Max and Jackie Spinner: Their constant support and positivity has pushed me to see the benefit in working towards something I am passionate about. This passion for architecture, urban planning, and design originated and was fostered through summer trips to their beach home, handcrafted by my grandfather, and small design-build projects my grandfather created to spend quality time together; Little did they know what it would eventually lead to. To my Fiance, Jessica Boyer. She was my best friend throughout this entire thesis process. She was there for all the ups and downs, highs and lows, and good and bad that came along through this personal self-discovery. She listened to me ramble constantly about all types of subject matter as I tied them back individually to the suburban lifestyle as if it were a godly puzzle, meant to be solved by instantaneous enlightenment. She was there for me. Lastly, to all my family and friends: Your constant willingness to listen to me ramble on and on and on about subject matter that is highly uninteresting to you, really shows me how much you care for me and my future. Everything you do, every movement you take, and every decision that you make, helps me find a better way for the next generation to live. Whether you are in agreement or disagreement, it all gets funneled into the design to push the limits for a better us and for a better World. And for this, I thank you. 17

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this moment to acknowledge those who aided me with direct and indirect assistance during the creation of this thesis project. First to my thesis advisor, Arpad Ronaszegi, for allowing me to express myself through studio dialog and keeping me “on the right track” throughout the twenty week project. My mind tends to wander towards the bigger design problem. You helped me break down that large problem into many smaller problems that were easier to understand that could then be applied to the larger problem. To my thesis committee, Tim Woods and Roger Bowman for their added support and feedback over the past 20 weeks. Tim was the first architecture studio professor that I had during my fundamentals studio year. We also enjoyed a Parisian collaboration with Semapa Co. during our time abroad in Lacoste, France. His excitement and openmindedness towards design are important book-ends to my architectural education.

my personal architectural design processes through intense self-discovery and realization. Lastly, to the authors and professionals who have dedicated themselves to America’s current suburban situation; James Howard Kunstler, Leigh Gallagher, Chris Martenson, Christopher Steiner, Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Jeff Speck, and Jeff Rubin. Thank you for thinking about alternative methods to the way we design and live in our World. Without the contributions of all these individuals, this project would not be what it is today. For this, I thank you.

Roger was the influence behind the chosen site. During a panel-discussion at a local green summit in Savannah, GA he mentioned the need for alternative transportation methods for regions where Gulfstream Aerospace has large employee populations. His company has future plans on growing and the interstate and local road systems are already highly taxed. Alternative transportation such as tramways and trolleys will help alleviate road congestion. The real-word problem that Roger presented was the challenge that I needed to have a successful thesis. To Daya Taylor (Daya Bates) and Scott Borges for seeing the potential in me, during our time together in Lake Mary, Florida. Daya was the one professor that saw the potential in me and promoted that potential. She urged me to find more, and when Scott Borges introduced me to SCAD by dragging me out of bed one rainy day in the end of summer 2009, I did find more. To the SCAD School of Building Arts Faculty and Staff, who have allowed me to embrace

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION PART ONE - Rejuvenating the Economic Model for Corporate Suburban Development Practices PART TWO - Reducing Dependency on the Cheap-Oil Fueling Suburbia PART THREE - Surviving the Urban Movement of the 21st Century PART FOUR - An Important American Question PART FIVE - A Site Worth Saving

HISTORY OF RICHMOND HILL

CLIMATE + DEMOGRAPHICS

LIFESTYLE ANALYSIS

SITE ANAYLYSIS

SITE CONNECTIVITY

PART SIX - Suburban Intervention CONCEPT

SUR-UBAN MASTER PLAN

SUR-URBAN MODELS

SUR-URBAN AMENITIES

CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY

16 -17 19 23 26 - 33 34 - 43 44 - 51 52 - 55 56 - 57 58 - 59 60 - 63 64 - 65 66 - 73 74 - 83 84 - 85 86 - 95 96 - 123 124 - 141 142 - 147 149 150 - 153

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

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cccii. Illustration by Author. ccciii. Illustration by Author. ccciv. Illustration by Author. cccv. Illustration by Author. cccvi. Illustration by Author. cccvii. Illustration by Author. cccviii. Illustration by Author. cccix. Illustration by Author. cccx. Illustration by Author. cccxi. Illustration by Author. cccxii. Illustration by Author. cccxiii. Illustration by Author. cccxiv. Illustration by Author. cccxv. Illustration by Author. cccxvi. Illustration by Author. cccxvii. Illustration by Author. cccxviii. Illustration by Author. cccxix. Illustration by Author. cccxx. Illustration by Author. cccxxi. Illustration by Author. cccxxii. Illustration by Author. cccxxiii. Illustration by Author. cccxxiv. Illustration by Author. cccxxv. Illustration by Author. cccxxvi. Illustration by Author. cccxxvii. Illustration by Author. cccxxviii. Illustration by Author. cccxxix. Illustration by Author. cccxxx. Illustration by Author. cccxxxi. Illustration by Author. cccxxxii. Illustration by Author. cccxxxiii. Illustration by Author. cccxxxiv. Google Image: PV Array cccxxxv. Illustration by Author. cccxxxvi. Illustration by Author. cccxxxvii. Illustration by Author. cccxxxviii. Illustration by Author. cccxxxix. Illustration by Author. cccxl. Illustration by Author. cccxli. Illustration by Author. cccxlii. http://buildipedia.com/aec-pros/ construction-materials-and-methods/ understanding-reclaimed-wood-how- the-salvaging-process-works cccxliii. Illustration by Author. cccxliv. http://ourneedtocreate.com/wp-con tent/gallery/brick/img_0382.jpg cccxlv. http://www.ourlittlebeehive. com/2013/07/and- bricks-come-tumbling-down.html cccxlvi. Illustration by Author. cccxlvii. Illustration by Author. cccxlviii. Illustration by Author. cccxlix. Illustration by Author. cccl. Illustration by Author. cccli. Illustration by Author. ccclii. Illustration by Author. cccliii. Illustration by Author. cccliv. Illustration by Author.

ABSTRACT As America rides the descending wave of oil through the second half of the century, I foresee a future suburban environment riddled with pockets of decay. Suburban neighborhoods once seen as investments for some and homes for others, will become vacant as people naturally seek places to live closer to the economies that support their lives. This new wave of emigration back into the cities will leave suburban neighborhoods to rot as there will be no seen value in the buildings due to the cheap materials that were involved in the construction of them. The reduction of available oil resources, the current corporate economic model, and the movement to the city will all work together at different levels leaving the suburbs in need of a new existence and a new identity.

Illustration ii.

INTENT The intent of this thesis involved analyzing a traditionally developed suburban environment in an attempt minimize energy usage at different levels of design. From the master planning of a new street grid to the architecture and materiality of net-zero buildings, this thesis will remedy the constant necessity for automobile use during most of daily life, provide an alternative to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current suburban developmental practices, and define a space that promotes the current migration patterns of the millennial generation.

Illustration iii.

“We spent all our wealth acquired in the twentieth century building an infrastructure of daily life that will not work very long into the twenty-first century. It’s worth repeating that suburbia is best understood as the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the world.” James Howard Kunstler, The Long Emergency1

1. Kunstler, James Howard. “Living in the Long Emergency.” The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twentyfirst Century. New York: Atlantic Monthly, 2005. 248. Print.

INTRODUCTION

Can the American Dream evolve - and perhaps even thrive when energy less readily available?

America’s original suburbs, such as those found in Radburn, NJ,2 were a manifestation of a simple design solution that combined the best of country living with the best of city living. They were based upon theories of the Garden City movement, involving a city be radially designed with agriculture surrounding the homes and homes surrounding businesses within the city center. Each major city would be connected to satellite cities - also radially designed - with roads and railways connected each to support trade and travel between towns. This ideology became a highly replicated design strategy that could be adapted to many locations.3 These suburbs were a proper remedy to fight the homesickness associated with the long distance that separated war veterans from their families. As they came home, they found themselves seeking the quiet comforts and ideal separation from the busy city that is now associated with the suburban neighborhood. The children of this era grew fond of and comfortable with luxuries associated with the best of both the city and the country. These traditions have been passed down from generation to generation, all seeking that, “single-family home,” tucked away in a quaint neighborhood. Today, America’s suburbs have the same underlying principles that created the success of the early suburban model with an added efficiency that allowed the suburban dream to survive through the latter half of the 20th century. As populations around America have increased, the required land necessary to continue these building practices (developing new lands for new homes for the new generations) has led to what is known as ‘suburban sprawl.4’ The archetype of the suburb is still the same as when it was first conceived, albeit a few cosmetic additions, increases in size, and a heightened dependency on energy. The distance, now associated with a majority of

these living arrangements, requires the need for an automobile in order to complete daily objectives, such as purchasing groceries and/or getting your children to and from school. “Anybody wanting to live in these places has to drive everywhere and drive far,” states Christopher Steiner in his recent book $20 Per Gallon.5 This existing infrastructure - deliberate or not - has created a system that is highly dependent on cheap energy sources. America has now entered into the world of ‘peak oil.’ According to the International Energy Agency, “Our analysis suggests there are ample physical oil and liquid fuel resources for the foreseeable future. However, the rate at which new supplies can be developed and the break-even prices for those new supplies are changing.”6 With not only decreasing amounts of easyto-access energy, but also the reduction of purity in our most precious minerals and metals, the American suburb will be affected in a multitude of different ways: Utility bills will rise; the frequency and length of time spent driving away from the home will be decrease; maintenance and building costs will increase; property taxes will rise; and the basic costs for anything associated with living the suburban lifestyle will also increase costs. As our future brings new respect for the sensitivity of our remaining energy sources and how far industries are willing to exploit the natural environment; overwhelming and important changes will need to be made in order to continue living the suburban lifestyle. What will these changes be and how will they impact the way we currently live and view our suburbs? Can the American Dream evolve and perhaps even thrive - when energy less readily available? The preceding chapters help to provide a general understanding of the current major trends that will affect the future of suburban homes.

2. Schaffer, Daniel. Garden Cities for America: The Radburn Experience. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1981. Print. 3. Howard, Ebenezer, Peter Geoffrey. Hall, Dennis Hardy, and Colin Ward. To-morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform. London: Routledge, 2009. Print. 4. Duany, Andres, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. New York: North Point, 2000. Print. 5. Steiner, Christopher. “Urban Revolution and Suburban Decay.” $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 130. Print. 6. “Other FAQs.” IEA. International Energy Agency, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.iea.org/aboutus/faqs/oil/>.

“It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.”

Edgar Allan Poe7

7. Poe, Edgar Allan. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1966. Print.

PART ONE Rejuvenating the Economic Model for Corporate Suburban Development Practices

We have still continued to develop our suburbs in a manner consistent with constant inputs of cheap-energy.

The most popular living arrangement for current Americans comes in the form of the single-family home. It is the classic American dream, symbolic of a successful and happy family. The typical characteristics that make up their identity consists of a front lawn and a backyard, two car garage, two to four bedrooms, and a minimum of two bathrooms. Square footage ranges between 1,400 and 3,600, not included the attic space and the unfinished basements that are associated with some building locations.8 The specific makeup for how to measure the value of the home has been categorized into visual elements that can be directly understood by a new home owner. This system emphasizes quantity over quality, leaving the homeowner coming up short over the life span of the home. This increase in size is not limited to the, extending further into the scale of community. With an emphasis on bigger being better, individual lots contain a front yard with driveway, pedestrian sidewalk, and a walkway to the front entrance. They also contain setbacks on both sides and an allowance for a space in back of the lot for a private yard. (see Illustration iv)9 The separation and assigning of specific characteristics that are deemed necessary

for a certain way of life creates limitations and privatization of important natural spaces. This privatization leads to a breakdown in community that eventually weakens the social infrastructure of the neighborhood. Spreading out of materials and providing an affordable single-family home to most income levels requires a systematic approach to be applied to all scales of design. Suburban home construction has been streamlined over the latter half of the 20th century providing the neighborhoods that a majority of America is currently living in. From how the building will be placed on a chosen site - allowing for more homes to be developed - to the materials that the home is being built with, all aspects of design and construction are aimed at getting the most for the least. This was a successful model of living; America was thriving off of cheap energy costs, until the OPEC oil embargo of 1973.10 Since then, we have entered into an economy where energy costs are rising, but we still have continued to develop our suburbs in a manner consistent with constant inputs of low-cost energy. Continuing this development pattern throughout the past three decades has led to a unforeseen misuse of materials; some will manage to be salvaged, while others will be carried off to the landfill.

Illustration iv.

8. “Builder 100.” 2012 Builder 100. Builder Online, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.builderonline.com/builder100/2012.aspx>. 9. Single Family Dwelling Setbacks. Mercer Island: City of Mercer Island Government, Sept. 2011. PDF. 10. Kunstler, James Howard. “The First Real Oil Shock.” The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century. New York: Atlantic Monthly, 2005. 44-46. Print.

When roofs rated for 30 years are pushed off until 45 or even 60 years due to increasing material costs, there will be worse consequences involved than just the replacement of the roof.

The 30 year life-cycle that stems from the mortgaging systems designed around suburban homes influences the materials used in for initial construction. This is an important characteristic of the current suburban home environment that needs to be altered to insure a sustainable future. A majority of the current materials, such as asphalt roof shingles which are recommended to be replaced every 20 years by the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association,11 that are used in home construction are delegated to be replaced every within the life of the mortgage with the notion that those materials would be available in the future at a similar price. After 30 years of constant weathering and thousands of hours of solar degradation most roofs begin to breakdown and allow penetration of moisture to occur within the sheathing layer. The wood - whether plywood or medium-density fiberboard - will begin to act like a sponge and absorb the water, without a direct way for it to escape besides thermal evaporation. The saturated sheathing will begin to attract bacteria and mold reactivated by the now available resource water leading to quicker deterioration causing reduced structural integrity. When roofs rated for 30 years are pushed off until 45 or even 60 years due to increasing material costs, there will be worse consequences involved than just the replacement of the roof. Materials that will be favorable among new construction techniques will contain a greater capacity for withstanding natural weathering while containing fewer resources tied to oil. Agriculture based materials, local stone and wood, and recycled metals will slowly be reintroduced to back into trade processes in order to negate future increases in costs associated with current building materials.

In Australia and Europe, Hempcrete is a relatively new product that has been used for only 20 years. It is a replacement for traditional concrete that is made from a mixture of industrial hemp core, lime, and water. The ground industrial hemp core is a natural replacement for the sand and stone aggregates currently used in modern construction techniques12. This is a great solution to the small scale concrete construction applications, like single-family home foundations and mortar for masonry work that is now used in suburban home construction. Straw-bale construction methods13 and Earth mounding14 have also been successfully explored throughout history, providing sound precedent for future adaptation of these specific construction methods. Another way to offset the current suburban economic model is to include the homeowner in the process of design and construction. Induce the idea of actual home ownership by making the construction process of homes simpler and more understandable for the general home-owner. By building alongside the designer and contractors, they are creating wealth through personal knowledge that can then be applied in the future when the home needs specific maintenance. Ronald Q. Dunlap, President of Dunlap Construction Company, Inc. and Dunlap Homes has been providing full service residential and commercial remodeling and additions to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for almost forty years. “We include our customers in every step of the construction process, including the designing and execution. We know what it takes to give [clients] a unique, custom built home.”15

11. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Roofing FAQs. Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.asphaltroofing.org/roofing-faqs>. 12. “Products: What Is Hempcrete?” The Australian Hempcrete Technologists. Hempcrete Australia, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.hempcrete.com.au/index.php?option=com_content>. 13. Lacinski, Paul, and Michel Bergeron. Serious Straw Bale: A Home Construction Guide for All Climates. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub., 2000. Print. 14. “Efficient Earth-Sheltered Homes.” Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, 24 June 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/efficient-earth-sheltered-homes>. 15. Dunlap, Ronald. “New Home Construction.” New Homes. Dunlap Construction, n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.dunlapconstruction.com/new-homes/>.

Successful home-ownership will have future trends directed towards efficiency of space, instead of on superficial identities, like the amount of square footage or quantity of rooms.

As restrictions - induced by limited available resources - are introduced to the material market in the future, the construction industries will revert to building with materials that can be sourced locally through innovative techniques and methods. Unlike the LEED standards previously mentioned, sourcing locally will become a major method for material procurement and many materials will be recycled, harvested, or mined within closer restrictions. Shipping will no longer be an option when the costs for transportation increase by 50 percent, or when a gallon of gas - or diesel fuel in the case of the trucking industry - goes from $4 per gallon to $6 per gallon.16 Working with the immediate context and site will also be of increased importance to the survival of the suburban home. Local material availability, based on resources contained within the site, will turn the construction industry back into a naturally vernacular process. Gathering from that which is immediately available and creating architecture that addresses the health, safety, and welfare of home owners will be one of the greatest accomplishments in the 21st century.

The final aspect that will be addressed is an adjustment in home-owner mentality as to what is considered to be valuable attributes of a single-family suburban home. Through minimal education of the built environment, successful home-ownership will have future trends directed towards efficiency of space, instead of on superficial identities, like the amount of square footage or quantity of rooms. To address this issue, the seasons need to be reincorporated into site specific design, so that if extra space is needed for living, outdoor spaces can be comfortably occupied. The extended spaces would be able to retract during intense weather events, so that material damage does not occur. “There will be a constant interplay between the natural and man-made, and between inside and outside,” states suburban home architect Sarah Susanka, who has recently published a series of books addressing spatial efficiency.17 This will be a psychological change in what we currently expect of our homes and living arrangements. This will take decades of reconditioning a new generation through proper architectural design to live within these adaptable spaces.

16. Steiner, Christopher. “The Fate of Small Towns.” $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 157. Print. 17. Susanka, Sarah. “Chapter Seven: Inside Outside.” Home by Design: Transforming Your House into Home. Newtown, CT: Taunton, 2004. 68-73. Print.

“Our spread-out development pattern was manufactured, packaged, and sold to Americans as a part of an American Dream that fails to deliver on its promises”

Leigh Gallagher: The End of the Suburbs: Where The American Dream is Moving18

18. Gallagher, Leigh. “The Master-Planned American Dream.” The end of the suburbs: where the American dream is moving. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2013. 61. Print.

PART TWO Reducing Dependency on the Cheap-Oil Fueling Suburbia

The most important quantifiable way to measure oil dependency is by simply taking a look at the automobile and how it is currently depended upon to comfortably live in an American suburban environment.

The progressing nature and exponential growth that has occurred over the last century is a direct response to availability of low-cost energy resources. The first major oil fields of the world were discovered in North America in western, Texas, and the second being the Ghawhar fields in the Saudi Arabian peninsula. Since the discovery of these two major oil fields, no new fields have been discovered that can compare to their size and contained volume of easily accessible crude oil.19 The chart at the bottom of the page represents the major American oil fields and their respective oil production measured in million barrels per day.20 This chart that we have reached full maturity of in the American major oil fields and are beginning a state of decline in oil production. America has not been able to meet the energy demands of a growing population with increases in standards of living without resorting to importing oil from other global sources.

American oil dependency can be quantified in a variety of different ways. Highlighting the amount of plastics that are associated with throw-away packaging,21 studying the amount of oil energy needed to create a single edible food calorie,22 and analyzing the globalization of current shipping based industries23 are all strong examples that help to strengthen the realization that our current everyday lives are highly dependent on these cheap energy supplies. However, the most important quantifiable way to measure oil dependency is by simply taking a look at the automobile, and how it is currently depended upon to comfortably live in an American suburban environment. The marriage of the automobile to the suburban home is a relationship where one cannot exist without the other. They are the two largest assets owned by an average, middle income family and have created a specific way of life that is widely accepted by most Americans, as long as gas prices

Illustration v. 19. Martenson, Chris. “Energy and the Economy.” The Crash Course: The Unsustainable Future of Our Economy, Energy, and Environment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. 134. Print. 20. Martenson, Chris. “It’s Not “Running Out”” The Crash Course: The Unsustainable Future of Our Economy, Energy, and Environment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. 145. Print. 21. Williams, Karl S. “Plastic Packaging: Not a Throw‐away Resource.” Waste As a Resource.London: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013. N. pag. Print. 22. Heintzman, Andrew, and Evan Solomon. “Saving Agriculture From Itself.” Feeding the Future: From Fat to Famine, How to Solve the World’s Food Crises. Toronto, ON: House of Anansi, 2004. 24. Print. 23. Steiner, Christopher. “The Fate of Small Towns.” $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 157-58. Print.

Vinyl siding, PVC piping, fiberglass insulation, glazing, vinyl windows, composite decking, asphalt roofing shingles, and linoleum flooring are just a handful of materials that are directly created from oil and oil by-products.

stay under five dollars a gallon. In 2010, data from The International Road Federation and World Road Statistics were compiled to show that for every 1000 Americans there were 797 passenger vehicles. 24 If the automobile was removed as the major method of transportation in America, then the suburbs would be left in pockets of isolation. The suburban dependency on oil goes deeper than the undeniable association linked to the automobile. The idea can be taken a step further to include the materials that are currently being used to construct our suburban environments. Vinyl siding, PVC piping, fiberglass insulation, glazing, vinyl windows, composite decking, asphalt roofing shingles, and linoleum flooring are simple materials that are directly created from oil and oil by-products. A complete list of building materials and their associated specifications can be found within the recently updated CSI materials manual.25 The extensive and saturated nature of our library of building materials has been a direct response to the building industry’s access to low-cost energy supplies can be better understood after thumbing through the 50 sections of categorized materials and systems, The reasoning behind this expansive list of oil-based building products related to the construction methods of the single-family suburban home is best explained with the idea of material economics. This phrase was derived after personally being involved in the construction industry as a home builder and cabinet manufacturer. It can be thought of as a series of relationships that coincide with a given building element or object that dictates its market price. The diagram to the right can help explain the attributes associated with material economics. On the left side you have the factors that affect the manufacturing cost of the object; This includes the raw material cost, the manufacturing cost, and the transportation cost. In the center is the

cost of the material purchased at wholesale cost by the contractor or developer. After a markup is added to the wholesale cost, it moves to the far right towards the cost paid for by the homeowner. This model was derived from the basic economic understanding of the retail industry.26 These stages all add up to increase the cost of the material for the end user. This inflated price eventually finds its way into the price, of the homes leading to inflation in the cost of the mortgage as well as associated property taxes. The rising costs, coinciding with readily available energy supplies and material options, will increase, as the supply for oil cannot keep up with its demand. The future of American suburbs will depend heavily on new methods of mass transportation to alleviate the rising costs associated with fueling our personal automobiles.27 On top of that, rising prices in oil will affect all aspects related to the materials that we use to build our communities with. The 30 year lifecycles that we have allotted for our homes will need to be retrofitted with renewable materials. This will become an enormous task so large, that it will manifest itself in the form of decaying homes and a movement back towards the city. MARKET ADJUSTABLES

PROFIT ADJUSTABLES

FIXED PRICE

WHOLESALE PRICE

HOMEOWNER END PRICE

MANUFACTURING PROCESS COST

+ RAW MATERIAL COST

+ +

TRANSPORTATION COST

CONTRACTOR MARKUP

Illustration vi.

24. 3.13 World Development Indicators: Traffic and Congestion. N.p.: The World Bank, 23 Sept. 2013. PDF. 25. “MasterFormat Specification Divisions (CURRENT).” The Architect’s Technical Resource. Arch Toolbox, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013. <http:// archtoolbox.com/representation/specifications/60-csidivisions.html>. 26. Betancourt, Roger, and David Gautschi. “The Economics of Retail Firms.” Managerial and Decision Economics 9.2 (1988): 133-44. Print. 27. Steiner, Christopher. “The Car Diminished but Reborn.” $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 83. Print.

There is a big difference in the amount of fuel needed to transport a truckload of prefabricated trusses 500 miles as opposed to 200 miles. The closer option also allows for the economic profit and benefit to stay closer to the project being built.

In order to combat this, there are many different outlets to reduce the need for current oil demands in the American suburbs. As mentioned earlier, oil has become infused into every aspect of our daily lives. Our homes, water, food, waste, and energy consumption are all tied to oil in very ubiquitous ways. By looking at pre-existing methods that already exist, a foundation of knowledge can be built that will help guide the initial direction for the re-design of the future of the suburbs. Through examination of the materials that are used to construct suburban neighborhoods we can find ways to minimize how oil is used throughout the material economic model mentioned in Part II. In an attempt to minimize the consumption of resources inherent in transporting goods locally sourced materials should be used. According to LEED standards, points are awarded towards building certification when 20 percent of the materials used during the construction process are locally or regionally sourced. Another point is awarded if 50 percent (of the aforementioned 20 percent) of materials are harvested locally.28 For LEED certification of a house, the only requirements necessary for point recognition for local materials is the use of FSC Certified Tropical Woods and Environmentally Preferable Products that are located within 500 miles of the home.29 This system is widely accepted by a majority of the industry because it still allows for minimal impact on the economies of the construction industry. It becomes important to note that “locally” and “regionally” must be correctly defined in order to make a significant impact in material trends. There is a big difference in the amount of fuel needed to transport a truckload of prefabricated trusses 500 miles as opposed to 200 miles. The closer option also allows for the economic profits and benefits to stay closer to the project being built.

Modularity is another aspect of the material realm that should be explored further, in an attempt to prevent the future decay of our suburbs. If modularity was a total design solution - in the sense that the modular units could be easily assembled and disassembled - future home maintenance would be easier and more cost effective. Modularity has been a part of construction since the beginning. The stones used to build the Pyramid of Djoser, and the bricks used to construct the exterior walls of the Pantheon30, are great examples of the early use of modularity. Current suburban trade practices include modularity in the use of the individual material, such as asphalt roof shingles, CMU blocks, brick veneer, HardiBoard® shakes, and even sheets of plywood. Also, modularity has been applied to the construction and assembly phases of a buildings life,31 but has not been directed towards the deconstruction of the structure. The idea of modularity in suburban home design can be pushed further, incorporating simple connections into the main modular elements. If the connections are easier to assemble and to learn, then the modular units of construction could be removed and replaced, with no more education than it takes to program your television. Not only can the ease of maintenance lead to more pride associated with personally improving your home, but also, this knowledge can be passed down to children who want to maintain their future home. Redesigning home maintenance to be a habit similar to the frequency of washing clothes or even power-washing a deck would also help reinforce the continuance of this knowledge, while reinvigorating a sense of self-sufficiency towards the maintenance of a home. While this may be wishful thinking, it holds value in the fact that if home construction was easier on the homeowner, then there wouldn’t be such a large market for home improvements in America.

Passive systems must be employed to work in conjunction with active systems to reduce our current dependency on oil and in turn the cost of supplied energy.

Car companies have begun to implement new ideas of modularity into their designs of headlights and taillights. Each assembly is composed of many parts that make up a whole. Besides simply changing damaged bulbs, all of the other elements compose a holistic design that requires it to be entirely replaced if damaged. The headlight or taillight assembly is completely removed and replaced with a brand new or refurbished part, while the broken assemblage is sent to the car manufacturer to be broken down and reassembled.32 This allows the car company a chance to relieve maintenance costs and labor costs for car mechanics, eventually reducing costs to the car owner. Manufacturing techniques such as this can be used througout the building industry to create processes that reduce waste, energy, and increase time efficiency. By studying local vernacular and incorporating it into the design, building techniques that passively reduce the energy requirements for a home could be reintroduced to suburban development techniques While still being able to maintain comfortable levels inside a home, passive systems allow for reduced application of active mechanical systems. Active systems require a source of energy - usually comes from electricity or heat - generated by coal, natural gas, propane, oil, nuclear, hydroelectricity, photovoltaic lenses and other alternative fuels.33 Passive systems must be employed, to work in conjunction with active systems, to reduce our current dependency on oil and, in turn, the cost of supplied energy. An example of this codependent technique would be the implementation of a Living Machine. These devices create a small ecosystem that uses the waste outputs from a household to create soils for composting and grey water for non-potable water usage.

Active energy harvesting systems have been in recent debate for political, social, and environmental reasons. Large scale wind harvesting has produced 400 foot tall windmills that can provide MegaWatts of energy when the wind is blowing. For instance, if a 400 foot tall windmill produced only one MegaWatt of electricity, it would be able to supply over 250 homes with 4 KiloWatts (average daily usage for 2,400 sq. ft. home). When installed close to living locations, sound from the blades turning, and shadowing effects similar to that of strobe lights, have been reported as disturbances. When asked if this is more harmful to the environment than burning fossil fuels, specificity in scale must be addressed. Focusing on the larger scale allows for the effects on individuals to be overlooked, while at the smaller scale the effects on the environment are overlooked. The documentary, Windfall, interviews a small community in upstate New York, who has been divided over whether the ability to be sustainable should hinder local living conditions.34 Primarily focused on the negative and overlooked aspects of windmill development, it points out how delicate the energy subject is even in small, rural towns. Solar panels, scientifically known as photovoltaic cells, have also experienced their fair share of market feedback. With high initial costs, and limitations in energy storage technologies (batteries), PV panels are being questioned whether they have the capability of being a permanent solution, or if they are more of a novelty, or “fad,” in energy technology.35 Sources of alternative energy have been implemented at large scales by leading energy corporations, in order to offset the costs associated with coal fired plants, and obtaining uranium for nuclear energy. Small scale initiatives, installed into thousands of locations over a large grid, have yet to be introduced, but could offer a proper solution for the future of the American suburbs.

32. Duffy, James E., and Robert Scharff. “Electrical/Electronic System Operation and Service.”Auto Body Repair Technology. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2004. 690. Print. 33. Lechner, Norbert. “2.15 Energy Sources.” Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. 25-37. Print. 34. Windfall. Dir. Laura Israel and Brian Jackson. Prod. Autumn Tarleton. Perf. Scott Alexander, Frank Bachler, Ron Bailey. SnagFilms, 2010. Documentary. 35. “Solar Energy.” National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/ global-warming/solar-power-profile/>.

“Here’s where redesign begins in earnest, where we stop trying to be less bad and we start figuring out how to be good.”

William McDonough, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.36

36. McDonough, William, and Michael Braungart. “Putting Eco-Effectiveness into Practice.” Cradle to cradle: remaking the way we make things. New York: North Point Press, 2002. 177. Print.

PART THREE Surviving the Urban Movement of the 21st Century

Suburban neighborhoods that cannot accommodate the preferences of the new generation, while maintaining affordability, will be vacated and left unmaintained.

A recent phenomenon has begun to occur in America since the beginning of the 21st century: For the first time in over 50 years, Americans are beginning to move more into cities than into suburbs, according to Leigh Gallagher, author of The End of the Suburbs and Assistant Managing Editor at Fortune Magazine.37 To properly handle this movement, The Congress of New Urbanism, founded in 1993, has developed a series of defining elements to help guide the future development practices or our urban and suburban spaces. The charter - that has been developed over the past 20 years by a board of active urban designers, developers, professors, citizen leaders, and government leaders, - has been successfully implemented into cities such as Old York Village of Chesterfield Township, New Jersey and Seaside, Florida.38 These cities and towns have become successful models for popular ways of living amongst the younger generation but have still been ridiculed by authors such as Amanda Rees. She concludes in a short essay some of the issues associated with New Urbanism; “New Urbanism encompasses some very real limitations: its rather blunt, bifurcated rhetorical strategy; its application of environmental metaphors and concepts; its lack of historical grounding; and its more general anti-intellectualism.”39 There are a variety of reasons that have contributed to this movement back towards the city: Increase costs in owning an automobile; time and cost associated with lawn and home maintenance; long spans of time spent commuting to and from work; the necessity to drive to shops, groceries, and boutiques; and decreased levels of sociability among the younger generations. These are all negative aspects of the

suburban environment that have recently been proclaimed.40 The city addresses these aspects by: introducing walkability into neighborhood planning; increasing mass transportation; allowing for mixed-use occupancies; and bringing living conditions closer together. The popularity of this phenomenon can be found amongst many different cultures and ethnicities, but it is predominantly being accepted as a new way of living by Americans in their late-teens and throughout their twenties. According to Jonathan Bartlett, Vice President at Robert Charles Lesser & Company - leading real estate market analysts and solutions provider generation Y has a high unemployment rate; as this generation looks for adequate jobs, they will be searching for inexpensive ways to live. This generation is willing to “trade a large lot for proximity to shopping and work,” and “two-thirds of this age group believe it is important to live in a walkable community.”41 The new generation is unhappy with current living conditions, and needs a proper way to live that facilitates their current life styles, instead of hindering it. This new movement towards the city, with emphasis on its affordability and walkability, will have a profound impact on not only the current suburban neighborhoods, but also the way suburbs will continue to be developed in the future. Suburban neighborhoods that cannot accommodate the preferences of the new generation, while maintaining affordability, will be vacated and left unmaintained. Over time, homes will degenerate on individual lots throughout a community, hindering the economic value of the remaining homes in the community.

37. Lambert, Lisa. “More Americans Move to Cities in past Decade-Census.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 24 Mar. 2012. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/usa-cities-population-idUSL2E8EQ5AJ20120326>. 38. “Learn About New Urbanism.” Intro to New Urbanism. Congress for the New Urbanism, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.cnu.org/ Intro_to_new_urbanism>. 39. Rees, Amanda. “New Urbanism: Visionary Landscapes in the Twenty-First Century.”Suburban Sprawl: Culture, Theory, and Politics. By Matthew J. Lindstrom and Hugh Bartling. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. 110. Print. 40. Gallagher, Leigh. “The End of the Suburbs.” Time: Ideas. Time Magazine, 31 July 2013. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://ideas.time. com/2013/07/31/the-end-of-the-suburbs/>. 41. Steuteville, Robert. “New Urbanists Await Demographic Shift.” Home Page. Better Cities & Towns, 01 June 2010. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://bettercities.net/article/new-urbanists-await-demographic-shift>. 42. Steiner, Christopher. $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. Print. Pg. 120.

Bringing the economies that support our daily needs closer to our residences will be a necessity for a thriving future suburb.

As Christopher Steiner puts it is in his book, $20 Per Gallon, “this movement will give rise to a massive shift of population as our fringe suburbs lose their value and our inner cities reinvent themselves again.”42 Economies will relocate themselves in locations that will be able to support their business enterprises, leaving those left living in the suburbs with less amenities. All of this reinforces the reality that the suburbs will need to drastically change the way they develop if they are going to compete with the cities that are already being adapted for the new generation. Offsetting the rush of suburban home owners who move closer to the city will be a large design challenge centered around one main objective: minimizing the distance that separates the economies which support the occupants of the suburbs. Specifically, this means: introducing economies within the suburban fabric; connecting existing working locations to living conditions; bringing daily activities closer to residences; promoting technology as a medium to communicate and network; and finally by rewriting the current zoning ordinances to allow for the reduction of current setbacks.43 Combinations of these different design solutions will allow for the suburbs to compete with the urban centers that are already adapting, by developing practices which cater to these new demands of living arrangements for future generations. In essence, bringing the economies that support our daily needs closer to our residences will be a necessity for a thriving future suburb. Amenities such as pharmacies, retail stores, cafes and restaurants, bars, post offices, libraries, parks, local governments, and a variety of other diverse locations that offer products and services, will need to be implemented on a smaller scale; more locations that will serve smaller concentrations of residents. Incentives must then be presented in order for consumer businesses and corporations to willingly redevelop their business models and allow this concept to gain initial ground. In the future, when suburbia is much denser and there are more people per square mile, business will likely be more willing to

accept these changes in order to survive themselves. Designing to receive these small, but important economies will be key to maintaining the suburbs’ success. The larger industries and economies that must lie outside of residential zones - for health and safety concerns - will need to be properly connected to these new suburban zones so that they can survive as well. They would look to invest in this infrastructure to ensure the survival of their greatest asset: the community and the people in it. These large corporations rely on the automobile for worker transportation just as much as the employee does. New technologies in light-rail systems, along with the repurposing of our existing railway infrastructure, can be introduced for the greater distances that need to be traveled and to cater to the increased population associated with suburban densification. Bike lanes will become increasingly popular, as distances between home and work would be shortened. As cars become smaller to lessen their intake of fuel, car lanes would begin to be scaled down allowing for the introduction of more bike lanes and walking lanes. Furthermore, recreational activities for all ages will need to be closer to home in order to help combat this urban movement. Design aspects to incorporate into future suburban designs could be: introducing parks and community centers into neighborhoods; dedicating linear green space for walking, biking, jogging, and hiking; constructing and maintaining community gardens; allowing libraries to exist as both source of knowledge as well as a media outlet; and catering to new forms of digital recreation. Also, the ability to walk or bike to these places would be crucial in the development and success. Another aspect that will be important to the success of the suburbs is internet technology and connectivity. If they are without internet connectivity, it will be a failed networking opportunity for the residents and the new economies that support these residences. Electronics are important to the generations, and therefore should be explored to the extent of their

43. Jason, Neudorf. “Who Cares about the ‘burbs’?” Web log post. OpenCity Projects. OpenCity Projects Inc., 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. <http://opencityprojects.com/blog/diversity/who-cares-about-the-burbs/>.

Connecting these suburban hubs with sustainability and proper mobility, would be looked at as a requirement instead of as a luxury.

involvement in the future of suburbs. Because of their low demand for power when hardwired to the power grid, low power electronics are more likely to sustain the energy revolution, allowing communities to remain connected to other communities, as well as state and federal governments. Questions then begin to emerge about the reliability of the Internet in the future, not only about how it will be powered and maintained, as well as if it is just to increase our future dependence on digital connectivity. It will be known that internet availability will more likely be available in denser locations where a provider can access more customers. The densification of certain future suburbs can secure enough revenue to the internet and cable providers, maintaining connections to these locations. Clustering communities and neighborhoods together while providing proper programming to address the American relationship between private and public space needs more research to provide a successful solution to future of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suburban environment. Connecting these suburban hubs with more sustainability and proper mobility between them, rather than our current dependency on the personal automobile, would be looked at as a requirement instead of as a luxury.

“The first blade to draw their [satellite suburbs] blood will be the one of transportation. As we drive less and mass transit marches to the fore of American life, the farthest of the far burbs will lose relevance.”

Christopher Steiner, $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better44

44. Steiner, Christopher. “Urban Revolution and Suburban Decay.” $20 per gallon: how the inevitable rise in the price of gasoline will change our lives for the better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 129. Print.

PART FOUR An Important American Question Since itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; beginning, the town-and-county way of life - known as suburban living has been under constant criticism. When Levittown, New York was introduced in the 1950s, it was marketed as the first suburban neighborhood. It was quickly popularized and imitation towns started to be developed throughout the northeast.45 The speed at which open greenspace was being cleared to make way for new neighborhoods caused some to step back and question the validity of this new way of living. These questions were pushed aside, as growing towns welcomed new developers, in order to house new residents that were chasing a piece of the American dream. In the 1970s, the Great Oil Embargo seized temporary control over our every movement; we began to question again the validity of how we lived in America. Again, questions were pushed aside when President Richard Nixon stabilized the American economy by turning American currency into a fiat currency.46 Once backed by gold - and now backed by oil - the U.S. Dollar is now only as valuable in the world market as the oil reserves that America owns above and below the ground; Oil has essentially become money. From the 1980s to the 2000s, America was at its pinnacle. 100 years from now, it will be looked at as the Platinum Age for America. The middle-class was growing in the wake of a newly developed tech boom that

developed on the west coast of America. It gave new life to the American economy and added new technologies and attachments to the American dream. However, the core of the dream, the home, remained the same. Because everyone was content, no big questions needed to be asked. In 2008, the collapse of the heavily inflated American housing market, once again questions of the validity of the suburban way of living were being asked. After cities such as Detroit, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Minneapolis began to see large migrations from suburbs to cities - to the point that whole blocks were left vacated and unmaintained - the questioning resurfaced with a vengeance. This time it resurfaced for a new generation - the Millennials - and with them comes new wants, new needs, and new ideals. Can Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suburbs continue to grow and develop the way they have, or will they need to adapt in order to survive? Would Millennials rather keep a yard, maintain a home, and devote an average two hours a day to commuting, or keep a vertical garden, maintain a neighborhood space, and devote an average of one hour to transportation? Why not both? Do they prefer driving, walking, or bicycling to daily amenities? Would they rather spend less money on surviving and more money on living? The more these questions are asked and answered, the better the solution will be.

THESIS ABSTRACT RESTATEMENT As America rides the descending wave of oil through the second half of the century, I foresee a future suburban environment riddled with pockets of decay. Suburban neighborhoods, once seen as investments for some, and homes for others, will begin to be abandoned, as people naturally seek places to live which are closer to the economies that support their lives. This new wave of emigration back into the cities will leave suburban neighborhoods to rot, as there will be no value seen in the buildings, due to the cheap materials that were involved in the construction of them.

Is this the future of America’s great suburban neighborhoods?

Dystopic Photography

Illustration vii.

Detroit Suburb

Illustration viii.

45. Galyean, Crystal . “Levittown: The Imperfect Rise of the American Suburbs.” US History Scene. N.p., 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 June 2014. <http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/levittown/>. 46. Martenson, Chris. “Like a Moth to a Flame.” The crash course: the unsustainable future of our economy, energy, and environment. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2011. 95-100. Print.

“The second blade that will deflate America’s outer ring suburbs will be, in many ways, the same blade as the first. Where gasoline prices chopped off easy and cheap transportation, natural gas and heating oil prices will cripple them from within.”

Christopher Steiner, $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better47

47. Steiner, Christopher. “Urban Revolution and Suburban Decay.” $20 per gallon: how the inevitable rise in the price of gasoline will change our lives for the better. New York: Grand Central Pub., 2009. 131. Print.

PART FIVE A Site Worth Saving

Richmond Hill, Georgia

4000

Illustration ix.

Illustration x.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What makes a good community is a sense of community. That is something evident about Richmond Hill.â&#x20AC;? Mayor Richard Davis48

In order for a community to survive and thrive in the 21st century, there needs to be a proper mixture of the urban and suburban ingredients. When blended together through design, they become a strong representation of the social, economic, and cultural qualities needed to create a successful municipal model. Some neighborhoods, cities, towns, counties, and regions already contain a few of these ingredients; lending themselves to better adaptation for the future. Like many other satellite cities spread throughout the American countryside, the City of Richmond Hill, Georgia, already

contains some of the ingredients necessary for success. This city, located 30 minutes driving distance from downtown Savannah, Georgia, contains a strong sense of community that can come together to find a proper solution to its population predictions, all while giving the township and residents a sense of integrity and pride. This city was primarily built in the automobile era and was one of Henry Ford’s visionary locations used to promote his Model-T as well as the town-andcountry lifestyle.49 It is only suitable that this city leads the frontier of transportation and living into the latter half of the 21st century.

Illustration xi.

48. “City of Richmond Hill.” Richmond Hill, GA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.richmondhillga.com/>. 49. Sullivan, Buddy. “History of Richmond Hill.” Richmond Hill Historical Society and Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.richmondhillhistoricalsociety.com/history-of-richmond-hill.html>.

History of Richmond Hill, Georgia The history of the Richmond Hill area can trace its origination in American history back to 1733, when General James Oglethorpe established Fort Argyle to help safeguard Savannah from the Spanish who had settled in south Florida. After the 13 American Colonies were established in 1776, agriculture became the popular economy into the 19th century, and boomed after the 1850s when slavery was legalized.50 In the 1920s, Henry Ford thought the area was a good location for him to invest not only into his second home, but also into the region itself. Along with his Ford Showroom, he helped - the then called Ways Station to construct housing and medical facilities, and to build churches, a community center, and schools for the area. He improved the economics in the region by developing a sawmill, a vocational trade school, built roads and utilized his land to boost agricultural productions and procedures.51 After his death in 1947, his plantation was sold in 1951, but his legacy remains within the road infrastructure and now historic buildings. Richmond Hill was incorporated into the Georgia State legislature on March 3, 1962; L. C. Gill took office the following year in March. At that time, the population was around 500. 20 years later, after Interstate 95 was completed and connected to the area, the population boomed, as residents from Savannah’s urban core pushed outward, along with some of the major industries.52 The automobile, fueled by cheap gasoline, facilitated the growth of the area, and Richmond Hill became the Savannah regions‘ new suburban model. Only this time, it was dominated by the automobile.

Illustration xiii.

Illustration xiv.

Illustration xv.

Illustration xvi. 50. ”Fort Argyle Historical Marker.” Georgia Info. Digital Library of Georgia, n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2014. <http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/ gahistmarkers/fortargylehistmarker.htm>. 51. Sullivan, Buddy. “Richmond Hill.” New Georgia Encyclopedia. 29 August 2013. Web. 01 January 2014. 52. Sullivan, Buddy. “Our History.” History of Richmond Hill. Richmond Hill Historical Society and Museum, 2006. Web. 02 Jan. 2014. <http:// www.richmondhillhistoricalsociety.com/history-of-richmond-hill.html>.

INTERSTATE 95 . 1980s . Completion of the

Eisenhower’s Interstate program allows for suburban development to sprawl. People who could afford to leave the inner-city of Savannah could now do so because of the automobile.

Illustration xviii.

FORD DIES . 1947 .

Henry Ford dies, leaving behind his legacy. Surrounding area is renamed Richmond Hill after Ford’s winter plantation home.

HENRY FORD . 1925 . Ford purchases 85,000 acres of land and begins to invest into

Illustration xix.

the area, known for his winter vacation home. He helps build schools, churches, and it was home to Savannah’s first Ford automobile showroom.

WAYS STATION . 1856 . Savannah, Albany, and Gulf

Railroad connects to Bryan Neck, allowing for expansion of plantations and agricultural economy .

Illustration xvii.

POPULATION

1980’s

1951 1951

L.C. GILL - Richmond Hill holds its first city elections; L.C. Gill becomes the first mayor in March of 1963. RICHMOND HILL - Richmond Hill, population estimated at 500, is incorporated into Georgia legislature.

1951

RELOCATED

County

seat

1886

1890’s

1901

1925

1941

1947

INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY - Ford’s Richmond Hill plantation is sold to the International Paper Co.

CAMP STEWART Federal government commandeered 105,000 acres of land to be the home of a new U.S. Army Training Base.

HILTON-DODGE LUMBER COMPANY - HiltonDodge Lumber Co. of Darien opens a sawmill and timber export center in Bellfast, nears Ways Station. Operations continued until 1916.

SEAT

HURRICANES - Powerful Hurricanes damage the tidewater of Georgia, crippling the rice plantations. Many plantations were abandoned. COUNTY relocated to Clyde.

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

1830

1861 - 1865

SAVANNAH-OGEECHEE CANAL - Completed canal allows for plantations to get rice and other goods quickly to the port of Savannah.

1815

Emancipated African-Americans began to purchase land throughout area, helping to revive the Ogeechee River plantations. Amos Morel became the largest and most prominent freedman and landowner in the region.

COUNTY SEAT RELOCATED - Seat moved from the crossroads of Darien-Savannah Stage Rd. and Bryan Neck Rd. to the courthouse in Eden.

1793

1856

BRYAN COUNTY - Created for Revolutionary patriot Jonathan Bryan from land obtained by Chatham and Effington counties. AMERICAN REVOLUTION

1750

1775 - 1783

LEGALIZATION OF SLAVERY - St. Philip Parish, now known as Bryan’s Neck, was quickly established to take advantage of the highly cultivable agricultural lands located around the Ogeechee River.

1733

R i c e p l a n t a t i o n s o f ti d e w a t e r, Ge o rg ia gr ow an d p ro s p e r le a d in g t o i n c r e a s e d w e al t h o f re g io n .

FORT ARGYLE - General James Edward Oglethorpe establishes fort to protect Savannah against southern attacks from the Spaniards in Florida.

Climate + Geophysical Conditions

SOLAR ENERGY + SURFACE METEOROLOGY

The climate for the Richmond Hill area is at the border between tropical and subtropical. Hot and humid summers are usually balanced with chilly winters, that occasionally reach below the freezing temperature. Tropical rains make their way up from the Gulf of Mexico during the spring and summer months. Hurricanes are a part of the regions past, but nothing catastrophic has happened since the early 1900s.

WIND SPEED + FREQUENCY

Illustration xxiii.

CLOUDY DAYS

HUMIDITY Illustration xxiv.

Illustration xx.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

Illustration xxvii.

PRECIPITATION Illustration xxv.

Illustration xxi.

Illustration xxviii.

SUN PATHS + ANGLES SUNSHINE

WIND SPEED (mph) Illustration xxvi.

Illustration xxii.

Illustration xxix.

NATIVE FLORA + FAUNA Loblolly pine and some oaks are dominant in the uplands in this area, and blackgum, sweetgum, oaks, water tupelo, while bald cypress are dominant on the bottom land. Longleaf pine and slash pine are dominant in the southern part of the area. Longleaf uniola, switchcane, panicums, little bluestem, inkberry, large gallberry, greenbrier, waxmyrtle, cabbage palm, and associated grasses and forbs characterize the understory. Some of the major wildlife species in this area are black bear, white-tailed deer, fox, raccoon, opossum, otter, muskrat, rabbit, mink, squirrel, quail, and mourning dove. The red wolf, an endangered species, is being reintroduced in several parts of the area. 54

Hurricane 1890 Tracks 1890 - 2005 HURRICANES - 2005 White Habersham Stephens Banks Franklin

Pulaski

18 9

Ben Hill

Turner Worth

Treutlen

at e Telfair K Jeff Davis 1947 Coffee

Effingham

Evans Bryan

Tattnall Long

Liberty

McIntosh

Camden

Charlton

Clinch

18 9

Ware

Lanier

1947

Glynn

194

1911

Brantley

Wayne

1940

Chatham

§ ¦ ¨

Pierce

Echols

1928

1894

1935

8 18 9

1893

18 96

18 9

9 18

1979

Legend 3 189

1928

Illustration xxx.

1935

Category H1 H2

1979

H3 H4

The soils in the area are characterized by restricted drainage, a thermic soil temperature regime, and an aquic soil moisture regime. The soils in the northern part of the area dominantly have mixed mineralogy, and those in the southern part dominantly have mixed clay and siliceous sand mineralogy. 55

4 189

David

§ ¦ ¨ Lowndes

Atkinson

Brooks

Bulloch

85 19

Appling

Bacon1

Cook

Colquitt

Candler

Montgomery Toombs Wheeler

Tift Berrien

Screven

Emanuel Laurens

Irwin

94 18

Burke Jenkins

Johnson

Dodge

Wilcox

Crisp

Thomas

96 18

§ ¦ ¨

Peach 16 Houston Bleckley Dooly

Jefferson Washington

Wilkinson Twiggs

Bibb

Richmond

Glascock

Baldwin

Jones

Monroe Crawford

Hancock

Putnam

McDuffie Columbia

Warren

Jasper

Butts

Lincoln

Wilkes

Greene Taliaferro

1979

Morgan

1893

ockdale Newton

Elbert

Oglethorpe

Oconee

Walton

winnett

Hart

Madison Clarke

Jackson Barrow

1979

yth

1894

Hall

1894

son

Macon

18 9

Union umpkin

18 9

SOIL CONDITIONS

H5 Map prepared by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 2006

Illustration xxxi.

Source: NOAA

53. “Savannah, Georgia.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 June 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah,_Georgia>. 54. Hodler, T.W. and H.A. Schretter. 1986. The Atlas of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, Athens. 55. “Natural Resources Conservation Service.” Georgia Soil Survey 153B. US Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 17 June 2014. <http:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ga/soils/?cid=nrcs144p2_021886>.

Commercial + Residential Demographics The demographics for Richmond Hill fall into two categories: Commercial and Residential. The commercial demographics represents the types of amenities that are found within driving distance of any home in the area. Strip malls, fast food restaurants, gas stations, and small industries line the main corridors of the city. The most successful businesses have adapted themselves to properly accommodate heavy volumes of traffic. The residential demographics become more personal, and telling a story about the typical American, middle-class township that is very involved in chasing the American dream. A majority of family dynamics consist of married parents with children attending the local school systems. They attend church on Sundays and play sports on Saturdays and weekday evenings.

that carpools. More than 50 percent of the population commutes more than 20 minutes and car accidents are greater in that area than the Georgia average. Electricity is the most commonly used heating fuel, and the unemployment rate has recently gone up. The republican party is dominant in the area.56 Change and adaptation will be a great challenge to those who hold steadfast their the values and the American heritage.

Mostly everyone drives to their respective activities, yet there is a small percentage Illustration xxxii.

Commercial Demographics

Illustration xxxiii.

56. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Richmond Hill, Georgia.â&#x20AC;? (GA 31324) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news. City Data, n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://www.city-data.com/city/Richmond-Hill-Georgia. html>.

Residential Demographics Age of Children within Married Couples

Fatal Road Traffic Accidents 1975-2011 (per 100,000) Marital Status

Unemployment Rate (%)

Fatal accident count: 60 Vehicles involved in fatal accidents: 116 Fatal accidents caused by drunken drivers: 7 Fatalities: 66 Persons involved in fatal accidents: 166 Pedestrians involved in fatal accidents: 3 Illustration xlii.

Illustration xxxix.

Illustration xxxvii.

Illustration xxxiv.

Mode of Transportation (%)

Commonly Used Heating Fuel

Housing Units

Illustration xliii.

Illustration xxxv.

Illustration xl.

Electricity (87%) Utility Gas (10%) Bottled, Tank, or LP Gas (2%) No Fuel Used (1%)

Age Distribution + Frequency

Illustration xxxviii.

Religion Statistics

Historical Population

Political Affiliations Illustration xlix.

Illustration xli.

Southern Baptist Convention (56%) United Methodist Church (21%) Catholic Church (7%) Other (16%)

Illustration xxxvi.

DAILY LIFESTYLE ANALYSIS

1890

2010

DAILY LIVING MEASURED THROUGH FREQUENCY AND QUANTITY USED TIMES DISTANCE AWAY FROM RESIDENCE - Well - River - Reservoirs

- Gardens - Markets - Farms - Grown Local - Seasonal - Stocking - Plantations - Lumber Industry - Self-Employment - Carpentry - School-Teacher

- Locally Funded - Walkable - Privileged

WATER FOOD WORK SCHOOL

- Church

WORSHIP/DEVOTION - Handmade - Cotton - Re-Usable

- Newspaper - Cards - Outdoors

- Walking - Horse/Mule - Bicycle

- Work - Walking - Farming

- Self-Financed - Community Constructed - No Mortgage

- Smiles - Excitement - Joy - Natural Health

- Outhouse - Dumping

- Well - Water Treatment Facilities - In-home Filters - Bottled

- Groceries - Convienent Stores - Restaurants - Farmer’s Markets

- Gulfstream Aerospace - Downtown Savannah - Restaurants - Retail Stores - Self-Employment - City-Worker - “Mega-School” - Driving Distance - Carpool or Bus - State Funded

- Church - Sports - Work - Video Games - Television

CLOTHES

- Manufactured - Cheap - Replaceable - Synthetic Fiber

ENTERTAINMENT

- Movies - Television - Video Games - Internet

TRANSPORTATION EXERCISE HOUSE HAPPINESS WASTE

- City/County

- Automobile - Bus - Bicycle

- Gym - Sports Team - Personal Training - Jogging - Walking - Biking - Residential Developer - Mortgage - Construction Crew - Contractors - Inspectors - Architect - Smiles - Excitement - Joy - Natural Health

- Curbside Solid Waste - Curbside Recycling - City Sewer - Rainwater Runoff - State/Federal

BANKING - Town Doctor/ Physician - Train/Carriage to Savannah - House Calls

HEALTHCARE

- Town Doctor/ Physician - Car/Ambulance to Savannah

The daily lifestyles for residents of Richmond Hill are very similar to the daily lifestyles found in most American suburbs. When compared to 1890, you can see increased saturation in all of the categories, which is representative of the new amounts, quantities, and frequencies that we use or do a certain task. Over a century ago, life for the middle-class in Richmond Hill was much simpler. Not simpler as in easy, but simpler as in the head of the household was responsible for making, growing, or crafting objects for daily use. Everything was independent and did not rely on government assistance or aid to increase the bottom-line living standards. Life was harsher and lives were shorter by the end of the 19th century. As industrialization grew throughout the 20th century, daily objects grew more complex and became more abundant. This is not a bad thing, per se. This complexity and abundance has allowed a majority of the population to live comfortable and healthy lives, inevitably prolonging the years of their individual lives. In order to cater to growth - while simultaneously growing more complex and abundant - the reduction in our oil and energy dependency on an individual level will be required. The way we live, what we live in and the places we live will also require less energy while continuing to expand and grow.

Illustrations listed from top to bottom. Row 1: l, li, lii, liii, liv, lv, lvi, lvii, lviii, lix, lx, lxi, lxii, and lxiii. Row 2: lxiv, lxv, lxvi, lxvii, lxviii, lxix, lxx, lxxi, lxxii, lxxiii, lxxiv, lxxv, lxxvi, and lxxvii. Row 3: lxxviii, lxxix, lxxx, lxxxi, lxxxii, lxxxiii, lxxxiv, lxxxv, lxxxvi, lxxxvii, lxxxviii, lxxxix, xc, and xci. Row 4: xcii, xciii, xciv, xcv, xcvi, xcvii, xcviii, xcix, c, ci, cii, ciii, civ, and cv. Comparative illustration: cvi.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE Transportation in the city of Richmond Hill is dominated by the automobile. Interstate 95 bounds the far west border of the city, allowing motorist quick access north to South Carolina or south to the Floridian Peninsula. A primary road, US 17, runs northeast and south west, intersecting with another primary road known as historical Ford Avenue. Secondary and tertiary roads feed directly into these four lane highways, creating typical road traffic, induced by stop lights and the occasional accident. More than 50 percent of the population spends 20 minutes or more commuting to work, taking advantage of the Interstate and major roadways and leading to dense rush hour traffic.

Roughly 600 Gulfstream Aerospace employees live in the City of Richmond Hill. The travel distance from US 17 and Ford Ave. to the Gulfstream complex is 18.3 miles. Multiply that by 2 for a round trip, 5 work days in a week and then 48 weeks in a year; Residents drive 5.27 million miles per year. At a current $3.25 per gallon of gasoline with an average of 25 mpg that is $685,000. Running directly through the heart of the suburban town are two railways that merge at the northern tip of the town right before it bridges the Ogeechee River. The western set of rails is comprised of a set of lines owned by CSXT. Both lines provide access for freight and passenger trains to the southern Georgia and Florida in one direction and the city of Savannah, Savannah International Airport, and a gateway to the northern states in the other direction. The eastern rail line is a single line running in the southwest direction. It is primarily used for freight purposes and terminates 30 plus miles south at an unknown industrial plant or facility. The unbusy nature of the eastern rail is better suited to accommodate additional railway traffic.57

57. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Georgia - CSX: How Tomorrow Moves.â&#x20AC;? CSX in Georgia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 June 2014. <http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-csx/ company-overview/state-fact-sheets/georgia/>.

INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FREIGHT RAIL MAJOR ROADWAY

Illustration cvii.

AMENITIES + SERVICE LOCATIONS Local amenities and services are the backbone of any local community. It is the first impression that one sees of a city or town and it can unknowingly, have monumental impacts on the behavior of local residents, in both positive and negative ways. The economic success of a place is best understood through the diversity and characteristics of its main economic centers. In Richmond Hill, Georgia, the amenities and services that serve local residents are located around the three major road corridors: Ford Ave., US. 17, and Interstate-95. The largest cluster of services being at the intersection of US 17 and Ford Avenue, with the second at the southern junction of US 17 and Interstate 95, and the third at the northern junction of Ford Avenue and Interstate 95. Drive-thrus, gas stations, strip malls, and big-box stores are intermingled with small businesses and industries along the major roadways. Every building faces the road with parking in the front and extra parking on the sides, catering to the automobile drivers. Local residents without automobile transportation are left to walk or rely on the outdated bus transportation in the area. One must own a car in order to comfortably survive in Richmond Hill, making it a staple in modern living that has influenced residential architecture design since the beginning of the American suburbs.

AMENITIES + SERVICES

Illustration cviii.

RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS A large majority of the single-family residences in Richmond Hill are located on separated plots of land that were purchased from the city by different housing developers and constructed into neighborhoods. After Interstate 95 was completed in early 1980s, the corporate economic model for home construction was the recommended way to feed the growing population. It was quick, cheap, and easy, providing fast revenue for the city to allow for continued future growth.

automobile. Every chore, such as picking up a gallon of milk, contains the following process: grab the car keys, warm up the car, drive to the convenient store, turn off your car, purchase the object, turn on and warm up the car again, drive back to the home, and finally park in the garage or driveway and turn off the car. You cannot just simply “run to the store” anymore.

These neighborhoods are isolated because civil engineers and developers have provided minimum entryways and specific locations in order to abide by certain traffic, road, and zoning regulations. These regulations were created to provide adequate traffic flow between residential areas and the shops, businesses, and industries that support them, while maintaining specific life safety standards. This includes providing a minimum corner radius so that large firetrucks and emergency equipment can safely and quickly maneuver at intersections on the way to an emergency.58 There is minimum connectivity between neighborhood developments at the human scale. Unmarked walking paths that connect neighborhoods to one another as well as and the central recreational area, were created by local residents. This shows an intuitive want and a need for the proper connections to exist between these places. Although the result is poor neighborhood planning and segregation. To get to a friends house that could be a located in another neighborhood separated between a natural or man-made barrier, a resident must walk or drive out of their neighborhood, onto a connector road, and then into the neighborhood of the friend. Simple neighborhood transitions do not exist in this area. Even farther are the commercial areas that support local economies and the daily amenities required by local residents. This distance requires the constant use of an

58. Duany, Andres, Elizabeth Zyberk, and Jeff Speck. “The Physical Creation of Society.” Suburban Nation: the rise of sprawl and the decline fo the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2000. 64 - 74. Print.

NEIGHBORHOODS

Illustration cix.

RECREATIONAL + NATURAL SITES Locating and identifying the recreational and natural sites within the city helps to understand the places and spaces within the suburban context that are sometimes undervalued or underappreciated. They are located in between our neighborhoods and act as a buffer - of forest vegetation or open, grassy field - that gives the impression of distance. They are small reminders of the country-side and what suburbia is intended to represent. Recreational space are important for a variety of reasons. They help improve the health and wellness of residents while providing a less expensive means of entertainment. Baseball and softball fields can support youth leagues, while providing space for pick-up games during no scheduled games. Tracks, tennis courts, and swimming pools are also places that serve the community for the better. The yearly cost to run and maintain these facilities is minimal compared to the health benefits for the residents that they serve. Natural sites are important as well because they act as a natural filter for air, water, and the soil we use. They also provide an adequate natural habitat for the local wildlife. They can be used as sound and visual barriers between residences and major roadways. When mixed with recreational usage and connected from neighborhood to neighborhood it becomes a natural greenway that can be used to better serve bicycle and pedestrian traffic while being separated from dangerous automobiles.

RECREATIONAL NATURAL SITES

Illustration cx.

MAIN INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL SITE SELECTION RAILWAY ACCESS The most crucial aspect of a successfully selected site is the availability of an existing railway that runs through or adjacent to the site. This allows for proper regional connectivity with the cities transportation infrastructure. On this site, CSXT own the single rail line and commercial freight serving only industries about 30 to 40 miles south of the Richmond Hill. The infrequent use of this spur line allows for the new tramway to operate without interference from existing traffic.

Illustration cxi.

WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTER The selected site must be nested within a cluster of neighborhoods that lack connectivity. This is ideal for the creation of a new street grid that can add character and unique qualities to a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure. The previous mistakes of developers can become unique opportunities. This site is surrounded by eight different sized neighborhoods which all contain various middle-class income levels and families. Some developements are newer than others, but nothing existing was built earlier than the 1940s. Bringing, these neighborhoods together is necessary for a sucessful project.

Illustration cxii.

AVAILABLE GREENFIELD OR BROWNFIELD The final ingredient for proper site selection is that the site must be an available greenfield or brownfield. Greenfields lend themselves to less expensive site salvaging, as they do not involve expensive site remediations like brownfields do. Existing natural habitat and trees should be salvaged and utilized in the design when manageable. An example is to incorporate old growth trees by letting them live, when appropriate to the overall design. Brownfields require increased upfront costs during site decontamination, but can be looked at as an investment into the overall health of the region.

Illustration cxiii.

RECREATIONAL GREENFIELD SITES INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FREIGHT RAIL MAJOR ROADWAYS NEIGHBORHOODS AMENITIES + SERVICES

Illustration cxiv.

SELECTED SITE PERIMETER The following represents the location in Richmond HIll that has been chosen for further site analysis and development for a successful Suburban Intervention: New roadways reach out into the existing neighborhoods, welcoming new life to the new project; the main tram line crosses through the entire site bringing a dynamic sense of life to the area; existing natural features will be enhanced and built upon to create a place that will better the lives of everyone and everything around it.

Illustration cxv.

WALKING TIMES + DISTANCES The green concentric circles on the right are centered over the largest and most centralized portion of the chosen site geometry. They represent the walking distances and relative times, if one were to walk in a straight line away from that center. It is estimated that the average person walks an estimated 500 feet in 5 minutes, which is roughly 1.14 miles per hour; handicapped individuals making slightly less time and healthy individuals (which walking times are always designed for) making more time at 2 to 3 miles per hour. Although this is a low estimate for the distance traveled over time, one can see how easily residents from surrounding neighborhoods will be able to connect and interact directly with the proposed suburban intervention by having walking access to most daily needs.

200

S IN

500

10 M

MI 15

100

150

Illustration cxvi.

BIKING TIMES + DISTANCES The blue concentric circles on the right are also centered over the largest and most centralized portion of the chosen site. They represent the biking distances and their relative times, if one were to bike in a straight line away from that center. It is estimated that the average person bikes an estimated 1,250 feet in 5 minutes, which is roughly 3 miles per hour. A slower speed was chosen to enhance the notion of faster speeds getting further distances and the realization that a majority of Richmond Hill can be biked to given a proper biking infrastructure. Although this is a low estimate for the distance traveled over time, one can see how easily residents from surrounding neighborhoods will be able to connect and interact directly with the proposed suburban intervention, by having biking access to even more options for daily needs.

Illustration cxvii.

F T

“Transit ridership increased by about 5 percent in US cities in 2008 as Americans found a way to drive 83 million fewer miles over the first three-quarters of that year, than up to that point in 2007. People will not just abandon their cars ‘en masse’, but they will use them less and less.”

Jeff Rubin, Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller: Oil and the End of Globalization59

59. Rubin, Jeff. “Heading for the Exit Lane.” Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller: oil and the end of globalization. New York: Random House, 2009. 117. Print.

PART SIX Suburban Intervention

Currently, in America, we are on the brink of a major housing change. As the Millennial generation grows up faster than the economy allows them to, they will no longer be able to afford to live in the conditions that currently present themselves in the suburbs. There are signs that the young adults want to drive less, would prefer public transportation over an automobile, and are seeking out new ways to socialize despite an infrastructure that promotes isolation. At one point in time, automobiles were only affordable to the very wealthy. Initial cost, maintenance costs, and fuel costs - on top of that, insurance, registration, and inspections - were very burdensome to the middleclass income level. As production process improved and financing options became available to almost every income level, the automobile became a solidified staple of the American Dream. Today, the average American household spend between 15 to 17 percent of the yearly income on their cars. In extreme cases it can be as much as 25 percent.60 With an infrastructure where the automobile is required for daily life, it is important to understand the financial tipping-point where it becomes irrational to continue to live that lifestyle.

To shift the focus from the automobile to public transportation, state and federal governments will need to work together with city and county officials to find adequate solutions to public transportation. New rails, dedicated bus lines, city-bikes, and enjoyable walkways will need to become topics for city meetings, instead of larger highways, bigger intersections, and treeless roadways. Americans will pay slightly more in local taxes if they can witness a betterment in their daily commutes - especially the younger generation, whose underusage of roadways will become a key topic of the political tax debate in the near future.61 The cornerstone to this future change, comes with our innate human sense to belong to something - such as a community - or to socialize. As the world has progressed over the past century, so have the social habits of young adults. Now, they require quick and instantaneous gratification, which can be obtained anywhere on a mobile device. This allows socializing to take place anywhere and at anytime.62 The living conditions should reflect this through various types and sizes of public and private gathering spaces. Neighborhoods will be designed to accommodate these very complex and instantaneous wants and needs. It will be accomplished through a Suburban Intervention.

60. Thompson, Derek. “America’s Weird, Enduring Love Affair With Cars and Houses.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 2 Sept. 2014. <http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/02/americas-weird-enduring-love-affair-with-cars-andhouses/284049/>. 61. “Two-Thirds of Americans Believe the Federal Government Should Increase Transportation Spending | AAA NewsRoom.” AAA NewsRoom. AAA, 10 June 2014. Web. 2 Sept. 2014. <http://newsroom.aaa.com/2014/06/two-thirds-americans-believe-federal-governmentincrease-transportation-spending/>. 62. Gazdik Irwin, Tanya. “Millennials Most Digitally Connected Generation.” Media Post. Marketing Daily, 2 July 2014. Web. 2 Sept. 2014. <http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/229241/millennials-most-digitally-connected-generation.html>.

SUBURBAN INTENTION 1920s - 1940s After troops returned home from WWI, the suburbs were intended to be a safe retreat away from the unsanitary conditions of the city. They were enjoyed only by those who could afford to live there or by locals who still farmed the land that supported the local city. This meant that a small percentile of the population lived outside of the city limits, making the suburbs a sought after destination wanted by many. It became attached with ffluence, eventually transforming into the staple of the Great American Dream.

SUBURBAN EXPANSION 1950s - 1980s As the American economy grew after World War II, the middle-class grew. Automobiles and homes became affordable to most Americans, while land on the perimeter of town were being turned into housing developments at an unprecedented rate. At the beginning of this period, homes and neighborhoods have smarter layouts, larger plots with smaller homes, and stronger construction. Towards the end, economy and efficiency played a crucial role in neighborhood layouts, maximizing the house footprint to plot size ration, and refining building standards.

SUBURBAN MANIFESTATION 1990s - 2010s As the suburban idea grew farther and further away from its original form, profit became the ultimate goal for the developer, builder, and home owner. The developer wants to maximize on the potential of the land, leading to the smallest allowable land per footprint ratio with the smallest allowable lot size for the zoned neighborhood. The builder wants to maximize the potential of the homes, focusing on the selling items like refinished kitchens with granite countertops, maximum square footage and room quantity. Homeowners, following the advice of specialists, decide that these items are important to them as well, in order to not loose money in the housing market for future refinancing or selling purposes.

Illustration cxviii.

Illustration cxix.

Illustration cxx.

SUBURBAN INTERVENTION The American housing market for the typical suburban single-family home has peaked. Along with that, land and resources have become less available, making them either more expensive or father away from the city core. By providing a Suburban Intervention that can be delicately connected and intertwined with the existing suburban infrastructure, growth for the Millennial generation will be properly handled within the region. The key to the success of the intervention is to properly connect the area at a local and regional scale through proper regional transportation solutions and adequate daily amenities within walking distance. The mixed-use occupancies and tramway will bring a new life to the area.

SUBURBAN MANIFESTATION 1990s - 2010s

SUBURBAN INTERVENTION

Illustration cxxi.

URBAN CONTEXT

SUBURBAN EXPANSION 1950s - 1980s

SUBURBAN CONTEXT

SUBURBAN INTENTION 1920s - 1940s

Illustration cxxii.

Railway Connector

Neighborhood

Mixed Use

Automobile Connector

Walk/Bike Connector Illustration cxxiii.

By providing alternative design solutions that are tailored towards the current standards of the Millennial generation, a new standard and a new American Dream can be enjoyed by those who will only be able to attain so much in a world that has already been created for someone else.

ISOLATED SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS Current land-zoning regulations as well as the Department of Transportation codes and standards have created neighborhoods that are contained and isolated from one another. Although the initial design intent of the 1920s suburbs promoted this isolation with a promenade of driving - to attain the feeling of distance from place to place - our future neighborhoods will need to be connected for economy and efficiency. Neighborhood

Existing Railway

Mixed-Use Space

Walk/Bike Path

Revived Railway

Illustration cxxiv.

MIXED-USE INTERVENTION To support new and existing residents, mixed-use occupancies will make up the backbone of the intervention. To help boost the local economic and social structure; shops, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, bars, lounges, homes, apartments, studios, doctors offices, law offices, pharmacies, post-offices, groceries, cafes, and other small, private economies will be required. They act as a catalyst for daily interactions between residents, helping to build a stronger and closer community.

Illustration cxxv.

TRAM + RAILWAY INTERVENTION On a larger scale, a tram and railway intervention would prevent future isolation on a regional scale. By utilizing existing railways - or by revitalizing abandoned railways connecting pockets of satellite suburbs to their adjacent metroplex will prepare the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transportation infrastructure. A rebirth of the railway is on the horizon for America - not out of want, but out of necessity.

Illustration cxxvi.

NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT MIXED-USE Once the mixed-use and transportation infrastructures are set in place, the residents from the surrounding neighborhoods will help support this new infrastructure. Daily amenities located within walking and biking distance will become their preference. Weekend or weeknight trips to the ‘City’ or trips to the ‘country’ will make the new rail stations actual destinations that help to increase day-time and night-time activity.

Illustration cxxvii.

MIX-USE SUPPORTS NEIGHBORHOODS In turn, not only the mixed-use economies but also the transportation infrastructure and economies will begin to produce jobs for the intervention area. Teenagers and young adults will be able to walk to work, reducing dependency on their parents. Older adults will also be able to easily get around in order to work or volunteer their time, which, in turn, keeps them active and healthy. The tram cars and stations will need staffing and maintenance, including landscaping and security. These new jobs will help support low to middle-class families. Illustration cxxviii.

FULL INTERVENTION Soon after construction is complete, retail, dining, and apartments will begin to be bought, leased, or rented. Then the intervention area will become alive, bursting with the daily routines and activities of the residents in the new community. People walk and bike more, using the new biking lanes and paths that run throughout the area. The need for a car will be diminished and would once again be looked at as a luxury instead of a necessity.

Illustration cxxix.

CONCEPTUAL SUBURBAN INTERVENTION Overlayed onto the aforementioned site, the conceptual intervention begins to bring forth initial design ideas and potentials. A proper balance must be made between what is proposed and what already exists; This is so that the maximum benefit can be obtained from residents living in surrounding neighborhoods. This new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;city-centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; will increase the land value of the surrounding neighborhoods, simply because an automobile will not be necessary for daily life there. It is intended to create a sense of place, becoming a local and regional destination, promoting commerce, culture, and community.

Illustration cxxx.

101

SENSE OF PLACE . DESTINATION . COMMERCE Station . Terminal . Node . Landmark Recreation . Exercise . Health . Energy Shopping . Industry . Market . Business Residence . Accommodation . Abode Liesure . Pleasure . Attraction . Festivity Relaxation . Recline . Celebrate . Refresh

NATURAL . ECONOMIC . CONNECTED Transportation . Transit . Commute . Pathway Affordable . Optional . Seasonal . Different Awakening . Embodiment . Personal . Sociable

Illustration cxxxi.

Illustration cxxxii.

CULTURE . COMMUNITY . SOCIABILITY Identity . Integrity . Character . Distinct . Public Entertainment . Amusement . Enjoyment . Experience Cuisine . Nourishment . Nutriment . Integration Art . Craft . Technique . Proficiency Amenity . Convenience . Enrichment . Association Illustration cxxxiii.

103

SITE BEFORE INTERVENTION The existing site primarily consists of natural flora and fauna which are native to the lowcountry of Bryan County. The Sterling Creek runs through the middle of the marshy site and will be redesigned to naturally take displaced water from the new development. It is the backside of the developed suburbs, that has been used as a water shed from mismanaged civil engineering from neighborhood developments. It will take a great deal of creativity to recondition the site properly to allow for construction. The new design will contain plants that filer the water naturally before being discharged into the Ogeechee River.

Illustration cxxxiv.

SITE CONNECTIVITY The chosen site is in a prime location for maximum site connectivity. All of the cul-de-sacs and dead end streets will be properly connected with roadways elevated above the 100 year flood stage. Roadways, bikeways, avenues, boulevards, and walkways will allow the local residents to have easy access to the new amenities. Also, it allows for a quicker route to friends homes located in separated neighborhoods. The connections will be properly adjusted in terms of size, traffic, parking, and utilities. Relative to connectivity is hierarchy of streets, as it plays a crucial role in the definition of a place.

Illustration cxxxv.

105

3-4 Story (36’- 48’) 2-3 Story (24’- 36’) 1-2 Story (12’- 24’) Recreation + Park Space Train Corridor

0’

400’

800’

Illustration cxxxvi.

SCHEMATIC ZONING PLAN The schematic zoning plan is intended to enhance the existing rail corridor; This is done so by using it as a seam to stitch together the urban fabric of the separated neighborhoods. Respecting the existing single-family suburban neighborhoods is crucial to alleviate the future burden forecasted for the suburban environment. By zoning story and height restrictions into the new road and rail infrastructure, comfortable transitions in proportion are allowed to occur, seemingly unnoticed to the pedestrian. The intersections of different road angles creates geometries which are unique and memorable urban conditions that are circumstantial to this specific location.

Illustration cxxxl.

SECTION A-A

SECTION C-C

Illustration cxxxli.

Illustration cxxxvii.

SECTION B-B

Illustration cxlii.

SECTION D-D

Illustration cxxxvii.

SECTION E-E

Illustration cxlii.

SECTION F-F

Illustration cxxxix.

SECTION H-H

SECTION G-G

Illustration cxliii.

107

INTERVENTION MASTER PLAN: CONCEPTUAL DRAFTS The Suburban Intervention would create connectivity within the physical, social, and emotional realms. The creation of public spaces in different size and shape plazas allows for the public to find the environment with the proper social stimulation to suit the current mood. This design offers residential apartments

and townhomes, which are located directly above commercial, retail, and dining spaces. This creates a condition that minimizes the need to use the automobile to fulfil certain errands, or get to a specific destination. By connecting new roads to existing neighborhoods, and by providing adequate social and commercial spaces, the previously segregated town becomes a new suburban

Mixed-Use: - First Floor Retail + Dining - Second Floor Residential + Office

Platform

Illustration cxlvi.

Illustration cxliv.

Tickets/Info

Interior Theater - 2 Screens/1 I-Max

Exterior Cimema Space

Existing Parking Illustration cxlv.

Illustration cxlviii.

Illustration cxlvii.

Mixed-Use: - First Floor Retail + Dining - Second Floor Residential + Office Tickets/Info

Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market

Illustration cxlix.

Platform

Illustration cli.

Interior Theater - 2 Screens/1 I-Max

Existing Parking

Illustration clii.

Illustration cliii.

Illustration cl.

Exterior Cinema Space

109

REFINED MASTER PLAN This is a refined version of the schematic zoning and master plans shown previously. A series of rough geometries show were mixed use occupancy and plaza space will be located. A treelined boulevard with two-way streets positioned on either side of the tracks will become the main focal point of the project, connecting Ford Avenue to Harris Trail Road. Two plazas help create two different gathering places for local residents and for events. Bike and walking paths connect the neighborhoods surrounding the project to allow for quicker and easier transportation methods. Nature plays an important role in maintaining the suburban qualities of the intervention, covering a large area of the new grounds. Existing trees will be surveyed and incorporated into the design as much as possible. The baseball complex, which currently supports a large volume of recreational sports for all age groups, will be kept and will be properly highlighted within the new urban layout. Sterling Creek will be redesigned to accommodate the water displacement from site development, by including two ponds on either side of the main boulevard.

Illustration cliv.

STATION PLAZA

MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL + RESIDENTIAL

This smaller plaza is conditioned to temporarily house commuters coming and going from Richmond Hill. Its size and location allows for the space to expand during routine train stops, then release in multiple directions depending on where the pedestrian is traveling.

Providing people with close access to their daily amenities and services - such as groceries or health-care provider - eliminates the requirement for constant automobile use, serving to promote good health within the community. “Running out to grab something,” just became a reality.

Illustration clix.

Illustration clv.

GRAND PLAZA

LANDSCAPE + HARDSCAPE

The largest plaza within the proposed master plan was designed around informal social gatherings. It is surrounded by multi-use buildings and residences, offering quiet conditions away from the train tracks. Illustration clvi.

CINEMA/THEATER

Directly adjacent to the new building infrastructure will be both natural and man-made landscaping to better promote suburbanity and the escape to the countryside. Protecting existing trees is a crucial aspect of the pre-design stage of the project. Old growth trees should be valued for their shading and ventilation properties.

Illustration clx.

BICYCLE PATHWAYS

An added feature that connects the current trends in entertainment to the historical trends is the exterior cinema space, allowing the public to gather around a community screen during the spring, summer, and fall evenings.

Bike paths run throughout the entire master plan, accommodating pedestrian traffic for neighborhoods located outside of the immediate walking distance. Bike rental stations will allow for users to ride bikes from station to station without actually having to own their own bicycle.

Illustration clxi.

Illustration clvii.

FARMER’S MARKET

To accommodate reforms in the current industrial food chain, this local and organic farmer’s market supplies the immediate and surrounding neighborhood with daily nourishment, all provided by farms located within the immediate region. Weekend events allow for home gardeners to sell their personal produce.

Illustration clviii.

111

SUR-URBAN MASTER PROGRAM

MIXED USE

SQ. FT.

TIME OF USE

Platform

9,000 Ext.

5:30am - 9:30am/ 3:30pm - 7;30pm

Retail

25,000+ Int.

8:00am - 8:00pm

Dining

20,000+ Int.

5:00am - 11:00pm

Living

144,000+ Int.

24 Hour

Office

15,000+ Int.

Dependent

Theater

30,000+ Int.

Farmer’s Market

14,000+ Int. 26,000+ Ext.

3:00pm 12:00am

TOTAL

64,000 ~

PARK

SQ. FT.

TIME OF USE

Cinema Space

6,000 Ext.

Sunrise - Midnight

Bike Paths

10 Ln. Mi.

Sunrise - Sunset

Walk Paths

5 Ln. Mi.

Sunrise - Midnight

Nature

---

24 Hour

Water Features (Living Machine)

---

24 Hour

Solar Panels

10,000+/100 kWh~

Sunrise to Sunset

Car Parking

600+ spaces

24 Hour

TOTAL

Theater

Retail

Farmer’s Market

MEP/ Restrooms

Platform Living

10:00am - 8:00pm Weekends/Holidays

Dining Illustration clxii.

Solar Panels

Parking

Walk Paths Bike Paths

Maintenance

Cinema Space

6,000 +

Nature Illustration clxiii.

Farmer’s Market Cinema/Theater

Day Care

Dining

Bar/Lounge

Office

Residential Residential

Health Care Law Practitions Illustration clxiv.

TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE RESIDENTIAL SPACE

COMMERCIAL SPACE RETAIL 177,700 sq. ft. - 4 spaces at 12,000 sq. ft. - 1 space at 6,900 sq. ft. - 8 spaces at 8,000 sq. ft. - 6 spaces at 9,000 sq. ft. - 2 2-story spaces at 1,200 sq. ft. per level DINING 67,700 sq.ft. - 1 space at 9,000 sq. ft. - 1 space at 8,600 sq. ft. - 4 spaces at 2,400 sq. ft. - 1 2-story at 6,500 sq. ft. per level - 2 2-story at 3,200 sq. ft. per level - 3 2-story spaces at 2,500 sq. ft. per level

BAR/LOUNGE

24,000 sq. ft.

- 4 2-story spaces at 3,000 sq. ft. per level OFFICE - 8 2-story at 2,500 sq. ft ea.

LAW PRACTITIONS - 2 spaces at 6,900 sq. ft.

HEALTH CARE DAY CARE - 5 spaces at 6,900 - 2-story at 11,000 sq. ft sq. ft. ea.

1 2 3 3 2

Bedroom - 32 spaces at 1,200 Bedroom - 64 spaces at 1,700 Bedroom - 32 spaces at 2,400 Bedroom - 14 spaces at 4,500 Story - 3 Bedroom - 28 spaces

371,000 sq.ft. sq. ft. sq. ft. sq. ft. sq. ft. at 3,000 sq. ft.

CINEMA/THEATER SPACE

46,000 sq. ft.

Theater 1 - 14,000 sq. ft. Theater 2 - 17,000 sq. ft. Lobby/Concessions/Box Office - 2 levels 7,500 sq. ft. each

FARMER’S MARKET

24,000 sq. ft.

2 levels - 12,000 sq. ft. per level

PROPOSED SQUARE FOOTAGE = 820,700 sq. ft.

113

Illustration clxv.

AERIAL OF MAIN AVENUE - FACING NORTHEAST

STATION PLATFORM & PLAZA

- GROUND LEVEL FACING SOUTHWEST Illustration clxvi.

Illustration clxvii.

Illustration clxviii.

GRAND PLAZA

- GROUND LEVEL FACING NORTHEAST

STATION PLAZA

- FACING SOUTHEAST Illustration clxix.

Illustration clxx.

115

Illustration clxxi.

STREET VIEW OF PLAZA

- TAKEN FROM BASEBALL COMPLEX

FARMER’S MARKET PLAZA

- FACING SOUTHWEST FROM MARKET STORE Illustration clxxii.

Illustration clxxiii.

Illustration clxxiv.

CENTRAL TRANSIT CORRIDOR - FACING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST

NORTHWEST ENTRANCE TO GRAND PLAZA - FACING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST

Illustration clxxv.

Illustration clxxvi.

117

Illustration clxxvii.

AERIAL VIEW OF FARMER’S MARKET PLAZA - FACING SOUTHWEST

ELEVATED VIEW OF GRAND PLAZA - FACING NORTH

Illustration clxxviii. Illustration clxxix.

Illustration clxxx.

STREET VIEW TOWARDS STATION PLAZA - FACING NORTHWEST

STATION PLATFORM & PLAZA - FACING SOUTHWEST

Illustration clxxxi.

Illustration clxxxii.

119

REFINED MASTER PLAN Further refinement of the Suburban Intervention master plan of Richmond Hill shows the relocation of major nodal elements, such as the farmer’s market and the cinema/theater space. Housing units are beginning to be defined, along with commercial units. Phase Two is comprised of mixed-use residential and commercial space shown in bold green. It will be modeled after the first phase of the intervention.

FARMER’S MARKET To accommodate reforms in the current industrial food chain, this local and organic farmer’s market supplies the surrounding neighborhood with daily nourishment provided by local farms. Weekend events allow for home gardeners to sell their personal produce as well.

Illustration clxxxvi.

MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL + RESIDENTIAL

STATION PLAZA This smaller plaza is conditioned to temporarily house commuters that are coming and going from Richmond Hill. Its size and location accommodates increased pedestrian volume during routine train stops, allowing it to be quickly released in multiple directions depending on where the pedestrian is traveling.

Providing people with close access to their daily amenities and services helps to eliminate the requirement for constant automobile use, serving to promote good health within the community. “Running out to grab something,” just became a reality. Illustration clxxxvii. Illustration clxxxiii.

LANDSCAPE + HARDSCAPE

GRAND PLAZA

The largest plaza within the proposed master plan was designed to be more relaxed. It is surrounded by multi-use buildings with residences, and offers more quiet conditions away from the train tracks.

Illustration clxxxiv.

CINEMA/THEATER

BICYCLE PATHWAYS

This piece of the program is an added feature, that connecting the current entertainment trends, to the historical trends. The highlight is an exterior cinema space that allows for the public to gather around a community screen during the spring, summer, and fall evenings.

Illustration clxxxv.

Illustration clxxxix.

Illustration cxc.

400’ 200’ 0’

121

I III Illustration cxci.

REFINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN At the building scale, this refined version of the neighborhood plan further defines the Sur-Urban Intervention into three different building typologies, transitioning the differences between suburban and urban environments. Developing the neighborhood in this manner allows for appropriate building heights to be achieved, from the core to the perimeter of the project. Four-story buildings can blend in with the surrounding suburban context because of the gradual increase in building height.

Noise levels are also a concern when attempting to develope a semi-urban project. By providing transitional typologies, noise levels from increased pedestrian, vehicular, and tramway usage will be reduced through building location and treelined streets. Having the tallest buildings closest to the areas with the highest levels of noise will deflect the noise upwards and away from the surrounding suburban neighborhoods.

Sur-Urban Typology I - Closest to original suburban identity. - Adequate parking, - Views to nature and existing suburbs - Sense of neighborhood - Noise isolation - Elevated lawn space/green roof. Sur-Urban Typology II - Transitions suburban living with urban living. - On street parking - Retail and office space lower two levels. - Upper level 1 bedroom apartments. - Views towards suburban neighborhoods and urban plaza. Sur-Urban Typology III - Closest to urban identity. - Off-site parking or street parking. - Access to tram station. - Elevated urban views. - Close proximity to amenities and car is not needed to live comfortably. - 1 to 2 bedroom apartments and lofts.

0’

50’

100’

123

SUBURBAN MATERIALITY LOCAL, RENEWABLE, RESPECTABLE

Materiality plays a very important role in the psychological effects of the occupants of the space. Certain materials convey various messages, intended to be perceived a certain way. In the suburbs, materiality will manifest itself in a form that resembles the existing conditions found in the region. Brick, wood, concrete, and glass all used in a manner that respects the traditional and local materials of the region, while

taking into consideration the energy used to make and maintain them. Other aspects of materiality that are crucial to the energy performance and visual aesthetics of the new suburban typologies are nature and sun-shading elements. They both can be used to prevent solar gain within the building during the intense summer months, while allowing solar gain to occur when needed during cooler winter months.

Illustration cxciii.

Illustration cxciv.

NATURE WOOD CONCRETE GLAZING BRICK SHADING

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration cxcv through ccx.

NATURE

WOOD

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration ccxi through ccxxviii.

125

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration ccxxix through ccxliv.

GLAZING

CONCRETE

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration ccxlv through cclxi.

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration cclxii through cclxxvi.

BRICK

SHADING

Rows 1 - 4 left to right from top to bottom: Illustration cclxxvii through ccxci.

127

SUBURBAN INTERVENTION: SUR-URBAN FRONTIER OF THE NEW AMERICAN DREAM

Gulfstream/Airport Downtown Savannah

Richmond Hill

4000 Illustration cxciii.

The master plan for the Suburban Intervention connects previously segregated neighborhoods to a new street layout. The connection of these different suburban fabrics creates interesting geometries that are emphasized to create truly unique places.

Illustration cxciii.

Specifically proportioned street widths will allow for parallel parking on both sides of the street, while still accommodating local emergency vehicles. This helps to create a sense of enclosure and reduces the urge to speed within the neighborhood.

Illustration cxciv.

129

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Illustration cxcv.

SUR-URBAN MASTER PLAN

MIXED-USE NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTION

Illustration cxcvi.

Residential homes, condos, and apartments work together with retail, office, and dining spaces, to create a walkable atmosphere that consists of: -

32 32 12 12 11 11 22 24

new single family 2-story homes -1200 sq. ft. condos, – 1500 sq. ft. – 1200 sq. ft. urbanized apartments, – 900 sq. ft. semi-urbanized apts. – 600 sq. ft. semi-urbanized apts, – 1500 sq. ft. retail/office/dining – 1200 sq. ft. retail/office/dining

Three models transition the vast differences between suburban and urban lifestyles: The first is closest to the suburban living conditions. It is further away from the town core to help minimize noise levels, and take full advantage of the local greenspaces in Richmond Hill. The first level reflects the single-story ranch style home, while the second and third levels

work together to create a two-story single family housing condition very similar to that found in the suburbs. The second living condition is a transitional one; It is meant for young adults leaving their parents’ homes, and older singles who want to still want to stay active as they enter into retirement. It contains street parking for residents who still want to own a personal vehicle, with elevated views to the suburbs on one side and the city core on the other. The third living condition is the closest to urban living that you will find in Richmond Hill. It overlooks the tram stop and is located directly above the 2-stories of retail, offices, and dining. This condition is meant for those looking to completely remove themselves from the automobile. Phase Two of the Suburban Intervention consists of additional zoning where all, or any, of the Sur-Urban Models can be successfully added.

131

SUR-URBAN MODEL I

STAGE ONE TRANSITION FROM SUBURBS

Illustration cxcvii.

133

Aerial View of Sur-Urban Model I

West Elevation Intervention Model I

South Elevation Intervention Model I

Illustration ccxcviii.

Illustration ccxcix.

Illustration ccc.

3 Bed 2.5 Bath Full Kitchen Full Dining Office Lawn/Garden Space Lightwell Chimney Balcony 2 parking spaces

Restroom Sleeping

Master Suite

Two Story Single-Family This 1,800 square foot unit is an economical alternative to the two story, singlefamily unit found primarily in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suburbs. Its attention is focused on the positive characteristics associated with living in the suburbs, but with a design greenroof lawn and private balcony space for views and daylighting.

Balcony

Kitchen

Dining Restroom

Living

Lown Space Illustration ccci.

Office

1 Bed 1 Bath Full Kitchen Full Dining Patio Lightwell Chimney 1 parking space

Patio

Living

One Story Couple This one story unit was designed after the ranch-style homes found throughout early suburbs. It is 1,200 square feet and meets all ADA requirements. It is directed at couples of any age who do not currently have children.

Dining Kitchen Restroom Sleeping Front Entrance Stairway Three-Car Covered Parking

Illustration cccii.

Illustration ccciii.

*Interiors designed by and coordinated with MFA INDS student Jessica Boyer.

Illu

str

ion

civ

135

Illustration cccv.

Illustration cccvi.

Illustration cccvii.

Illustration cccviii.

137

SUR-URBAN MODEL II

STAGE TWO TRANSITION FROM SUBURBS

Illustration cccix.

139

Aerial View of Sur-Urban Model II

Illustration cccx.

West Elevation Intervention Model II

Illustration cccxi.

South Elevation Intervention Model II

Illustration cccxii.

Living Kitchen

Studio Apartment

Utilities Sleeping

Dining

Restroom

The 600 square foot studio apartment is appropriate for someone living alone. Young singles, graduates, and working professionals usually require less interior space, as they seek social connections throughout the provided public spaces.

Office Restroom Utilities Kitchen Sleeping

Living

Illustration cccxiii.

Dining

Two Bedroom Apartment The 900 square foot two bedroom apartment is an appropriate space for couples, active seniors, and single parents looking to live closer to the sururban core.

Illustration cccxiv.

Retail, Dining, + Office The first two floors of this model are dedicated to 1,500 square foot retail, dining, and office units. A mixture between local and corporate businesses provide amenities and economy to support the local residents.

Illu

str

Illustration cccxv.

ion

vi.

141

Illustration cccxvii.

Illustration cccxviii.

Illustration cccxix.

Illustration cccxx.

143

SUR-URBAN MODEL III

STAGE THREE TRANSITION FROM SUBURBS

xxi.

on ccc

Illustrati

145

Aerial View of Sur-Urban Model III

Illustration cccxxii.

West Elevation Intervention Model III

Illustration cccxxiii.

South Elevation Intervention Model III

Illustration cccxxiv.

Kitchen Utilities Restroom

Dining

Sleeping

Two Bedroom Apartment This 1200 square foot, two bedroom apartment is located directly above the sur-urban core, with views towards the grand plaza and the tram station platform.

Sleeping Living

Restroom Utilities Kitchen Balcony

Kitchen Utilities

Illustration cccxxv.

Living

Dining

Restroom

Dining

Sleeping

Two Bedroom Apartment This 1400 square foot, two bedroom apartment offers the same proximity to all of the sur-urban amenities, while providing a little extra room for a larger family.

Sleeping

Living

Utilities Restroom Kitchen

Living

Dining

Illustration cccxxvi.

Retail, Dining, + Office The first two floors of this model are dedicated to 1,200 square foot retail, dining, and office units. These small local and corporate businesses provide amenities and economy support to the local residents.

Illustration cccxxvii.

Illu

str

ion

iii.

147

Illustration cccxxix.

Illustration cccxxx.

Illustration cccxxxi.

Illustration cccxxxii.

149

SUSTAINABLE AMENITIES

RESPECTFUL SUBURBAN ARCHITECTURE A good urban plan becomes great when the same design principles that guided the larger master planning are carried down into the architecture and building systems. In the Suburban Intervention, Sur-Urban, it is critical to use economic and environmentally sustainable materials so that the architecture becomes an investment to both the patron and the users.

immediate ground penetration; and terraced balconies provide views of the surrounding rural, suburban, and urban contexts.

Throughout this project, a wide variety of building technologies come together to create a net positive project. The idea is to use this intervention as a way to strengthen the energy independence of the city or municipality. Passive and active techniques work towards reducing the energy demand for heating and cooling a building; reclaimed local wood and brick from downsizing neighborhoods can be utilized to minimize the extraction of raw materials and reduce the need for new manufacturing and long distance transportation; precast concrete hollow-core slabs and wall panels will maximize on-site construction efficiency and will be able to be delivered directly to the site via the existing rail-line; pervious parking surfaces and driveways allow for the local water table and aquifers to naturally replenish through

ii.

n cccxxxi

Illustratio

PHOTOVOLTAICS

RECLAIMED WOOD

LIGHTWELL

RECLAIMED BRICK Illustration cccxlii.

Illustration cccxliv.

Illustration cccxlv.

Refracted Daylighting Stack Ventilation

4 4 6 8

tr lus

xiv

c cc

Panels = 1kWh kWh - Model 1 kWh - Model 2 kWh - Model 3

Illustration cccxxxv.

Illustration cccxxxvi.

Illustration cccxxxvii.

Illustration cccxliii.

Illustration cccxlvi.

PRECAST WALL PANELS + HOLLOW CORE SLABS

PERVIOUS PARKING SURFACES

Gravel Bedding

iii.

n cccxxxv

Illustratio

Topped Slab

Illustration cccxlviii.

Stone + Grass

Untopped Slab

Sand/Soil GeoFiber Mesh

Illustration cccxxxix.

Illustration cccxl.

Illustration cccxli.

Illustration cccxlvii.

Crushed Stone Sub Base

151

SUBURBAN + RURAL VIEWS

SUN SHADING

Illustration cccxli.

Illustration cccxlix.

Illustration cccl. Illustratio

n cccliii.

Illustration ccclii.

ROOFTOP LAWN Planting Layer Filter Fabric Drainage Layer (1â&#x20AC;? Pea Gravel) Filter Fabric Polystyrene Insulation

Root Barrier Membrane Illu

str

ion

cli

ii.

Waterproof Membrane

Topped Hollow-Core Slab

Illustration cccliv.

153

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better.â&#x20AC;?

Richard Hooker, 16th Century Theologist63

63. Johnson, Samuel. Preface. A Dictionary of English Language. Tokyo: Yushodo, 1983. 9. Print.

155

CONCLUSION

Can the American Dream evolve, and perhaps thrive, in a World where materials and the energy to harvest, manufacture, and transport them will be less readily available?

In order to ride the descending wave of oil in the latter half of the 21st century, we will need to implement a mixture of different techniques at many different scales, all directed towards drastically reducing the amount of outside energy sources needed to support a neighborhood or community. The solution will start at both the macro scale and the micro scale, and will meet in the middle to create an all-encompassing solution. Urban planners and architects must work closely with city planners, county engineers, developers, real estate agents, manufacturers, transportation authorities, fire marshals, local residents, and other parties at the larger scale. At the smaller scale, architects and interior designers must collaborate together with manufacturers, distributors, lighting engineers, contractors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, local municipalities, and the residents living within the community. It is a complex network that overlaps and connects. It must be thought of both individually and as a whole to find the ways to minimize our dependency on oil. A simple adjustment of one aspect of our living conditions is not enough. In order to find success in revolutionizing the suburbs, a combined adjustment is necessary of several smaller aspects will contribute to a total transformation in how we live in and with our suburban environments. The building and home industry will need to become a resource and friend for local municipalities and cities as building restrictions become limited by economic viability. Office complexes, once moved away from the city centers to distant campuses, will return to places that facilitate healthier lifestyles and happier employees.

In the end, Americanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s want the best of the both worlds; They want to be close, and far at the same time. They want the amenities of a city within the proximity of the neighborhoods they are accustomed to. They want to own a car, or two, and still be able to walk to a commuter station that can connect them to their larger cities. They want to choose to drive, instead of having it be a necessity. They want safety within a denser population, less expensive housing options that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hinder oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle, and the ability to produce or reduce their dependency on corporate energy and waste infrastructure. They want it all; but who can blame them? They were raised with high expectations, and it is time that we design a world to meet these expectations. After reading through this entire thesis development, a question must now be asked towards the reader: Can the American Dream evolve, and perhaps thrive, in a World where materials and the energy to harvest, manufacture, and transport them will be less readily available? At the moment this question is a rhetorical one, but, as the end of the 21st century approaches, it will assuredly become one of utmost importance. This is meant to inspire a new generation of home developers, designers, builders, and contractors, for they hold the key to the happiness locked within the way develop our exterior and interior environments, and the delicate boundaries upon which they overlap. They are the ones who can visually change how we look upon the world.

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Thank you for taking the time to read through my thesis work. Hopefully it has inspired you to think about how you can live in a world were we consume less, while still maintaining our independent lifestyles.

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