ReBurbia -- What's YOUR Vision for Transforming the Suburbs?
Julia Levitt, 22 Jul 09
We all know that North American sprawling exurbs need a 21st century makeover, but what will Suburbia 2.0 look like? A star-studded cast of Worldchanging allies from Dwell and Inhabitat have launched a very intriguing contest to find out. They're encouraging entrants to push the limits of their imaginations:
Calling all future-forward architects, urban designers, renegade planners and imaginative engineers:
Show us how you would re-invent the suburbs! What would a McMansion become if it weren’t a single-family dwelling? How could a vacant big box store be retrofitted for agriculture? What sort of design solutions can you come up with to facilitate car-free mobility, ‘burb-grown food, and local, renewable energy generation? We want to see how you’d design future-proof spaces and systems using the suburban structures of the present, from small-scale retrofits to large-scale restoration—the wilder the better!
You can be sure we'll be following this one. It kicks ass as a conversation starter and furthers the idea that recreating suburbia is necessary, modern and sexy.
The winner will get $1000 cash, plus a feature in Dwell magazine (as well as on the two publications' websites). Click here for details on how to enter.
If "the ruins of the unsustainable are the 21st century's frontier," will you be a pioneer? What would you create? Get the thought process started by reading some of Worldchanging's most popular posts on urban and suburban reinvention:
Artists, Foreclosures and the Ruins of the Unsustainable
A Suburban Future of Concrete and Gardens: Nice, Right?
Sonoma Mountain Village: Is Green Suburbia Possible?
The Next Slum and the New Green City
Roundup: Car-Free Suburbs, Climate Politics, and D.C. on Zipcar
Worldchanging Interview: Peter Newman and Timothy Beatley
This is such a great initiative! I really think it´s a good time to re-think this kind of things. I am preparing my proposal about suburban transportation for commuters and I hope every idea helps to understand the new way of living we have to invent.
Posted by: Manu Fernandez on 22 Jul 09
if you aren't familiar with www.Agriburbia.com, you definitely should be!
Posted by: liz brown on 26 Sep 09
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