Redesigning Suburbia: Establishing a New Infill Development Model for Existing Suburban Communities

• Main Author: Holt, Richard
• Format: Others
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 2012
• Subjects: Suburban; Infill; Deconstruction; Prefab; Eichler; Simi; Other Architecture
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses/876; https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1989&context=theses

The suburb's contribution to natural resource depletion, reliance on the automobile, and disregard for social connections has been well documented in the last 10-20 years. While these depictions are often accurate, many suburbs have successfully addressed these issues by providing walkable streets and accessible communal corridors. Innovative precedents such as Village Homes, in Davis, CA, Eichler Homes, in CA, and Skinny Homes, in Portland, OR, and others, provide examples of successful suburban developments that incorporate renewable energy solutions, passive design features, and limit the development of native landscapes. This thesis aims to design a framework to be used in the redevelopment of existing suburban communities. Using an existing low-density suburban community in Simi Valley, CA, as a site, I have explored compact infill housing as a method of densifying the neighborhood and broadening the housing base. Prefabrication and deconstructable building components ensure minimal waste and a flexible housing system that can adapt to mimic the evolution of a family. Accessible open space serves to draw the community together and provide usable outdoor spaces. In this way the suburban community can begin to operate in a more efficient manner and adequately address the needs of a broader range of residents.