[fengshui]

Good article in the Toronto Star today about the decay of suburbs/rise of urban density. http://www.thestar.com/article/308762

At the moment of its triumph, suburbia is starting to show signs of collapse.


Having remade the face of North America, the tide now seems to be turning against the 'burbs. The downfall won't be quick, but already the unthinkable is starting to happen.
As Christopher Leinberger argues in an article in the current Atlantic, "a structural change is underway in the housing market."


Looking back at the postwar conditions that unleashed the explosion of suburbia, it's clear the growth was inspired as much as anything by a desire to escape from the city. Density, associated with danger, disease and decay, was the enemy.

Sixty years later, beset by gridlock, shoddy construction and environmental degradation that can no longer be ignored, density has started to look good again.

The response has been to make the suburban more urban. But as Leinberger notes, "Sprawling, large-lot suburbs become less attractive as they become more densely built, but urban areas – especially those well served by public transit – become more appealing as they are filled in and built up. Crowded sidewalks tend to be safe and lively, and bigger crowds can support more shops, restaurants, art galleries."

I guess it's wishful thinking to suppose that Winnipeg could learn from these emerging trends, but no, we'll try Waverley West and other suburbs ourselves. Surely, we won't make the same mistakes as others.