Making Sprawl cheaper for developers...

Who knew that design fees were a primary reason that developers of sprawl were having such a hard time getting projects off the ground? Now, through SiteOps, civil engineers can cut construction costs and presumably design fees by finding the most efficient way to lay out sprawl!

Maybe instead of trying to figure out which parking layout is the most effective for a limited-use big box store, they should consult designers of mixed use 'places' that provide flexibility, adaptability, and hold their value for the long term. A guy can wish, can't he?

ReBurbia - voting ends the 18th

Urban Sprawl Repair Kit

Dwell and Inhabitat's sponsored competition, ReBurbia, is coming to a close with voting on the Top 20 Finalists ending on Aug. 18th. In particular, be sure to check out Galina Tahchieva's Urban Sprawl Repair Kit: Repairing the Urban Fabric.

Another interesting submittal is the BIG BOX AGRICULTURE: A Productive Suburb.

Though as a stand-alone concept the Ag vision does little to repair the established sprawl infrastructure, paired with a concept such as the Sprawl Repair Kit it could be much more effective. Utilizing the existing structures for year-round local food production through large scale greenhouse facilities could provide an added component to sustainability of these suburban retrofits. The Sprawl Repair Kit can then be employed on the vast seas of parking and strip malls typically surrounding big box developments.

Big Box Agriculture rendering