Brodacre City 2020

It’s simple. I think about houses and suburbs not just because of LA’s structure and culture but because of the state of the world.

We have got to have more space between us. Regardless of how you think “those” people should be or not be, the best way to nurture empathy and respect is to have your own space. When people who live a very different life and participate into a very different culture are 24/7 in your face, it creates anger and resentment, it is just a matter of time. When you have your safe space you think differently, you don’t feel attacked like when your upstairs neighbor is having a party on a week day. What I mean is that current politics and the entire human history are telling me that we need to flatten a lot of things, starting by cities.

Let’s spread out privilege to everyone. Let’s erase the “being in the good part of the city” or the “most convenient and hip 2017 neighborhood”. The idea is that wherever you live will be on par with anywhere else. For that, you need standards.

That’s too big of a lot. 1 acre is a lot of maintenance to do. 0.5 or 0.4 (1600m²) would be fine.

FLW’s Brodacre City was a good start. Except for the acre subdivision, that might be a little too much (that’s 4000 m²). People immediately lose their shit on the infinite suburbs promises like it’s bad but I just think it would be the best for peace and quality of life. It’s interesting that people want cities like the 19th and 20th centuries created, disregarding how much more diverse population is, disregarding the online and telecommuting possibilities. Those facts change everything about how to design and make cities thrive.

Franky Goes to Taliesin thought that people would drive around –the car was getting mainstream when he designed the Broadacre utopia- which was definitely the case but yeah, we went through the constant driving paradigm from the 50s to 2010s and I guess we are done with that.

Good news is that this ForeverDrivin’ issue has been solved, isn’t that wonderful? Imagine: you’re living in your cool little house with front and back yards, your kids, your pets. You get ready to go see your auntie who lives 150 kms away. You wait on the sidewalk, get in that vehicle that has panoramic views allowing you to look everywhere around. You sit there, listening to music, talking, reading while the vehicle moves you and your family to your destination. You didn’t even flinch or stress out, you are there in no time and the kids were able to do their homework.

You arrive and it’s another suburban house, totally different style and environment but it’s still the same. Your kids ride their bikes around and come back for dinner.

I think it’s the only setting that would suppress the rat race we’re currently living and change the paradigm.

WHAT ABOUT SHOPPING

Well, I think it’s going to be a lot of little stores that you will go to. Local stores. Everything else will be delivered. It’s already so much the case: people don’t want to move to obtain stuff unless it’s special stuff, or if it’s kind of an entertaining thing to do like going to a cool looking coffee shop and flirt, that’s good motivation.

THIS SOUNDS BORING AS HELL

Go live in a warzone tf? Batshit crazy NYC or Paris will still be around for a while, have fun. I’m focusing on what matters to me, you do you.