It starts tomorrow.

The future of suburbia is in jeopardy… and I think that this a good thing.

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) pushed new regulations through the Commonwealth Transportation Board last month that would require all new subdivisions to provide through-streets that link to schools and other shopping areas.  This legislation would effectively get rid of dead end streets and gated communities.  I understand the concern for security and safety, but I think that the heart of this issue is sustainability.  Traditional communities and small towns were originally designed using a grid-system, which allowed for inter-connectedness and multiple routes to avoid grid-lock.  Suburban sprawl has changed the nature of development by utilizing large arteries and diffusing traffic into smaller branches that come to an abrupt end: the cul-de-sac.  While this reduces through traffic on the cul-de-sac, this increases the traffic on major roads and reducing response time for critical emergencies, such as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances.  In Northern Virginia, these roads would be the Dulles Toll Road, Leesburg Pike, and Interstate 66.  While the new regulations may seem a bit extremist, the transportation system has been in serious jeopardy for years.  With the economy in its current state of turmoil, widening roads and building new highways is simply not an option.  While I think that people should have a right to choose the environment that they live in, I also believe that cul-de-sac and private roads place an unfair burden on the public road systems they are connected to.  (Note:  These regulations don’t stop people from purchasing homes in existing cul-de-sacs or gated communities.)

The article says, “The changes come as cash-strapped states and localities can no longer afford the inexorable widening of secondary roads that are overburdened with traffic from the subdivisions, strip malls, schools and office buildings that feed into them. The system forces drivers to enter these traffic-choked roads to go even 50 yards or so to the neighborhood coffeehouse or elementary school.”

In my opinion, the only “fair” tax would be linked to usage.  This is partially done through the use of gas taxes and toll roads, but public roads are paid for by the citizens that live in that jurisdiction… and unless they’re willing to pay more to maintain their lifestyle, the only sustainable option is to turn every road into a toll road.

In a “New Urbanist” or traditional neighborhood development (TND), commercial, retail, and residential buildings are mixed to create a new suburban landscape.  This ensures that homes, grocery stores, post offices, doctors, dentists, restaurants and entertainment are within close proximity.  I am a big proponent of traditional neighborhood development because it fosters the idea that parents do not have to choose between the safety and security of the suburbs and the convenience of urbanism.

Tattoo House is an interesting house by Andrew Maynard Architects in Victoria, Australia.  It’s a modernist steel and glass structure with supergraphic “tattoos” that provide privacy.  There are some really innovative ideas built into this house, such as the stairs that are integrated into the kitchen counters.  I’m not sure that I like the idea of walking on a countertop, but  I love the abundant natural light and the use of the supergraphic forest that casts interesting shadows throughout the home.  I’d love to see how the shadows move throughout the day.

After getting laid off from an architecture firm for the second time last year, John Morefield set up a booth at a local market in Seattle that offers home renovation advice for 5 cents per conversation.

It’s an interesting idea.  In the midst of this sour economy, people are conserving money to create a sense of security.  While some people are losing their jobs and their homes, many Americans fear that they could be next… and thus, the discussion of lifestyle becomes second to the discussion of life.  Our homes are personal environments and when our environments do not meet our needs, we can feel a sense of frustration and overwhelming negativity.  There are simple things we can do within our budgets to improve our every day lives — and it all begins with a discussion.  Support your local architects and designers.

Link: Architecture 5 Cents

For those who are unable to see the Library of Congress or the Smithsonian Museums, guess what?  They’re both on Flickr.

Link: Library of Congress

Link: Smithsonian Institution