What are some misconceptions people have about the suburbs? (Baltimore, downtown, architect)
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It doesn't get any more cookie cutter than Philadelphia's row houses.
its funny, urbanites love to hate on cookie cutter homes, but can't explain how that is any different than apartments, condos, or rowhomes that have the same layout.
its funny, urbanites love to hate on cookie cutter homes, but can't explain how that is any different than apartments, condos, or rowhomes that have the same layout.
agree in many ways but to me the big difference is in the desired lifestyle. I have lived in both very urban and very suburban settings. There are pluses and minues to all.
People have different preferences, none are right or wrong and we all basically have the option to choose whichever fits us best.
its funny, urbanites love to hate on cookie cutter homes, but can't explain how that is any different than apartments, condos, or rowhomes that have the same layout.
I love row homes. But not all urbanites "love to hate" on sameness. It doesn't bother me if the same house is repeated over and over, if I like the look of it. However what I think is a common criticism is that suburbs of X city are very similar to those of Y city, even if X and Y are very different places thousands of miles from one another. "sense of place" is lacking. Whether or not that matters Is simply a matter of personal opinion.
I'm not sure how one can say the level of misconception people have about the suburbs is akin to what exists regarding urban areas. Most urban boosters, at least, grew up in non-urban settings and only chose to relocate to cities as an adult. We have experience with things like suburban crackheads and walking a mile to get to a store, so it's not as if we're speaking from zero experience.
In contrast, a fair number of suburbanites have really never lived in cities, and seem to display some odd terror regarding the idea.
I love row homes. But not all urbanites "love to hate" on sameness. It doesn't bother me if the same house is repeated over and over, if I like the look of it. However what I think is a common criticism is that suburbs of X city are very similar to those of Y city, even if X and Y are very different places thousands of miles from one another. "sense of place" is lacking. Whether or not that matters Is simply a matter of personal opinion.
Oh please. Don't change up your position now. You know you were probably the same person talking about how you hate suburban homogeneity and now that nightrain55 caught you and your fellow urbanites in your own hypocrisy, your changing to make excuses.
its funny, urbanites love to hate on cookie cutter homes, but can't explain how that is any different than apartments, condos, or rowhomes that have the same layout.
The critique originated with places like Levittown after WW2.
1. Such developments were massive, and had much, much larger areas of identical homes than urban rowhouse areas did, where a single developer might build a block or so of identical homes.
2. People were used to a block of rowhomes being identical (or close to it) - the nature of building rowhomes requires at least a similar layout, if not the same details - people were used to single family homes being unique, not mass produced like that
3. Some of those mass produced homes were particularly mediocre in their look.
For an example today, look at how SUBURBANITES who live in ramblers and ranches and cape cods often complain about cookie cutter McMansions -by 2000 we had grown used to SFHs looking alike, but seeing large, overtly luxurious SFHs that looked alike, built subdivision style, took many people by surprise.
I suppose now we are starting to get used to even that.
Oh please. Don't change up your position now. You know you were probably the same person talking about how you hate suburban homogeneity and now that nightrain55 caught you and your fellow urbanites in your own hypocrisy, your changing to make excuses.
Excuse me? Like I give any credance to what NT thinks? Do you really see this as a "gotcha" moment? Lame.
My dislike of most suburbs is due mostly to their dependence on automobiles as the primary means of travel, not aesthetics. Are you confusing me with someone else?
Just highlight the 1910-1940 streetcar suburbs as a compromise between rowhouse/triple-decker urbanity and postWW2 ranches and capes. Enjoy the smaller lawns ( still aesthetically-appealing), along with the ability to walk to stores..
I love row homes. But not all urbanites "love to hate" on sameness. It doesn't bother me if the same house is repeated over and over, if I like the look of it. However what I think is a common criticism is that suburbs of X city are very similar to those of Y city, even if X and Y are very different places thousands of miles from one another. "sense of place" is lacking. Whether or not that matters Is simply a matter of personal opinion.
Ok, if you want to be technical, not ALL urbanites complain about cookie cutter houses, but the point still remains that a common criticism of the suburbs is they have cookie cutter houses. There isn't any difference between that and rowhomes, or twin houses, or condos, and apartments that have the same layout. The block I lived on in the city had nothing but twinhouses. They all looked exactly the same and I know for a fact they all had the same layout.
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