Inside Out / Growing from Within
University of Oregon, Spring 2016
“Cities grow by building up, or out, and when a city doesn’t build, people are prevented from experiencing the magic of urban proximity. Preserving a city can, in fact, require destroying a part of it. The modern desire to preserve Haussmann’s Paris has helped turn the affordable Paris of the past into a boutique city that can today be enjoyed only by the wealthy.”
No Money, Mo' Problems
Based on recent census data, for the first time in over 90 years, and for the first time since the automobile became prevalent in American culture, the largest major American cities grew faster
than their respective suburbs. This suggests a trend of humans returning to cities.
As the yearning to own a home in suburbia dwindles, and societal lifestyles continue to change, a fundamental shift in the planning and development of cities is necessary in order to better serve
the future generations of their inhabitants. However, as cities become more desirable, the cost of living increases substantially, catering only to those who can afford it. The question then becomes:
How can we continue to develop cities but retain their affordability for all?
