New Americana
Year
Location
Status
Co-athuor
2021
Westwod, MA
Research
Sarah Page
The creation of the suburbs was driven by a singular national identity, the nuclear family, and perpetuated the division
of gender roles and race. Today the cultural demand has
shifted and aims to include a multiplicity of family typologies and lifestyles. This shift in demand has been identified
and illustrated by several corporate institutions that inhabit
the suburbs but their physical space and the housing market
that depends on them do not reflect this reality.
Through the project we are focusing on two groups of major
actors: the existing residents who hold authority due to their
land ownership, financial resources, and the time to mobilize against development they do not support, and marketing to the potential future residents who are young and
entering the real estate market for the first time. While they
see certain value in living in a suburban area, their largest
hesitancy is that it does not accommodate their range of lifestyle needs.
This project serves as an experimental housing proposal that
is not an absolute solution, but one implementation possibility based on the zoning changes and catalyst details. The
subtle densification of the site occurs through an initial proposal that appeases the existing residents while setting up a
framework for change over time. The final goal is that the
strategies tested on the site are proven and can be replicated
not only in the neighboring community but throughout suburban clusters across the nation.