History of Live-Work Developments
With the onset of the industrial revolution and concomitant advances in transportation technology, commuting to work over some distance became the rule rather than the exception. Technology and the intense urbanization gave rise to movement for social improvement and the introduction to zoning. The primary mode of land use regulation, which continues to the present day as the mainstay of modernist city planning: today mixed-use development is the exception rather than the rule and primarily a remnant to earlier times. Commuting is hell – on our time, our money, the environment and our childcare. The introduction of the Internet, fax machines and teleconferencing make travel to face-to-face meetings less necessary. Affordability of a single home and workplace, less transportation money and the elimination of childcare are all advantages. Artists have done this for years, using their homes as working space and living, mainly due to the fact they get the urge to produce at various times of the day. Today Americans aspire to telecommute, to run a small business at home, or to simply enjoy the flexibility, light and space afforded by urban loft living.
Posted in Historical and tagged architecture, automobile, commuting, development, economy, environment, history, live-work, review, suburbs, urban by Studio Render with 21 comments.
BedZED
Americans have drifted away from the days of the residence above a business and now have adapted to the long commute and the dependence on the automobile. Dunphy (1997), In the United States from 1950-1990 the suburbs grew from 23%-47% (150 million to 250 million) while the cities declined from 33%-29% of the population. The Industrial Revolution started the trend where families no longer worked together either on the farm or as tradesmen. Men went to work at the factories and the women were homemakers. Today, Calthorpe (2000) claims “Everyone wants a detached home in the suburbs” and “25% of the populations buying new homes are middle-class families with kids.” The fact is the suburbanites who have taken to their subdivisions, 2-car garage and trips to the strip mall have not been given another option. There are other options. A development in Hackbridge, Sutton (UK) has come up with a possible solution to the environmental problem. This Zero-Energy Live/Work development they have created, dubbed BedZED, makes a sustainable stance in design as well.
The BedZED development is important to the Architectural community because it is bringing to light that this type of eco-friendly structure is possible, a
affordable and that there is a want and need for it in today’s world. Gregory (2003) “ZED Factory has been inundated with people wanting to do a ZED (a zero energy development). With a wait list of over 700 people it is clear that BedZED is responding to a real need, and when sufficient clusters of people emerge other developments will be built.” Dunster claims that he plays developers at their own game, being able to present a comparable home for the same price, but with the promise of an environmentally sound structure. Change is tough but knowledge is key. Upfront costs can be made back with time, in this case acheived by reclaiming brownfields, recycling materials and a design that allows a living structure. It is very possible to replicate and produce the same results on a regular basis, as long as someone is willing to take that chance at change.
“Building, structures are what it is all about. Many “environmentally” sensitive buildings go unnoticed due to their “low profile”; and yet deserve to be recognized and set forward as an example of good Architecture.” William Allen (2004). The low-profile of such buildings must no longer go unnoticed and the public must understand its responsibility to mother earth for the sake of their health and the future for our children.
Posted in Sustainable and tagged americans, architecture, BedZED, green, social problems, suburbs, Sustainable, technology by Studio Render with 11 comments.
Thoughts on the City of Detroit
Detroit today is a city bound by what built it: the car. With advances in technology, commuting to work has become the rule rather than the exception. Commuting is unbearable – to our time, our money, the environment and our childcare. The fact is, people love their cars and the suburbs offer a desirable lifestyle. The result is that Detroit has become a place of decay with a stereotype to match it. The current residents of Detroit have a median household income of $18,742 and 37% are without a high school diploma (census information). On the other hand, one of the suburbs close to Detroit (Redford Township) has a household income of $51,840 with only 21% of residents without a high school diploma. The scale follows this trend the further you travel from Detroit. So, how can Detroit attract these middle to upper class suburbanites to live downtown?
Money needs to be spent within city limits. This increase in affordable technology (computers, cell phones, etc.) has made being your own boss no longer just a dream. Live/work housing combines living and working into one piece of property, making the employees full-time residents of the city and keeping money in the area and local retailers. The book, “Loft’s: Living in space” states loft living began in the United States when artists began occupying entire floors of industrial factories in New York’s SoHo during the 1940’s. It was the fashionable residence of the day; a symbol of millennial cool. The concept adapted over time from the store owner living above his store, the lawyer whose office in front conceals his residence in the rear and the artist who can work at any time of the day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 million people work from their home.
Cities need people in them to make them a thriving, inviting and exciting area. Detroit has sections of the city where land is abundant and in need of revival. For a live/work development to work, it must be based on the city center. If there are no supporting amenities for the residents, there will be no appeal. The Fox Town/Sports District offers residents access to theatres, sports venues, night clubs, casinos and restaurants. This area would be able to attract young professionals, dot-comers, entrepreneurs, young and empty-nesters to name a few. By offering some of the suburban amenities in the city as a viable alternative to conventional housing, live/work units will help provide the draw needed to bring people back into the city.
Isolation, sense of place and separation. Architect Thomas Dolan, AIA of the live/work institute claims, “The greatest drawback of working at home is isolation”. He suggests that a sense of community will arise with opportunities of spontaneous socializing due to a greater caring for the space and for others who share it because of the 24-7 lifestyle. Conversely, separation of living and working spaces may become the fine line of success or failure. “One Space Living” by Cynthia Inions stresses degrees of separation in the units. Public and private areas must be distinguished to ensure the appeal and mental health of its occupants.
Copyright © 2007 Adam A. Dailide www.studio-render.com
Posted in Editorial and tagged area, automobile, automotive, car, city, community, commuting, decay, detroit, economic, economics, Editorial, exciting, industry, isolation, lifestyle, living, michigan, money, residence, residents, socializing, space, suburbs, technology by Studio Render with 12 comments.
