DEAD MALLS AND ALTERNATIVE LIVING
Dead malls are a growing concern, most notably in North America. Also referred to as Greyfield, these malls slowly become vacated by store owners, as the presence of consumers diminish. As the stores vacate, the mall preserves no attraction for potential shoppers and the building becomes desolate, slowing deteriorating over time. Often these malls are redeveloped, however in my opinion; the ‘mall’ is not a practical solution for citizens within a community. The history of building has greatly changed over the last hundred years. With the invention of the automobile and constant changes in technology, approaches to design have learned to accommodate them, as traditional building techniques are cast aside. However, original building techniques were practical and allowed for people to live communally. Today’s cities are vastly spread out, to the point where it has become virtually impossible for a person to reach anything without the use of a car. Everything is built on a larger scale; homes, stores, streets, everything. A walk to the corner store now consists of a ten minute drive to the grocery store, while a day of window shopping means driving 30 minutes on a highway, to the most popular mall in the region. Society has become accustomed to travelling long distances for unnecessary reasons. These new perspectives on normalcy have lead to the construction of malls, and thus the dead mall has now become a problem. To properly understand the issue of dead malls, and why they have become so prevalent, people must learn to educate themselves about how we live in comparison to other living and building strategies.
The history of building, will explain when and why the methods of building have changed so drastically. How people lived in the past and what is predicted for the future.
The suburbs, attempts to raise awareness about the dire situation ignorant builders and designers have allowed the world to become accustomed to. Also a short video “A Walk On Vanity Ruins” Made by RoseRock and JoEnaje, depicting the cities we live in as we see them.
Other areas of the world, demonstrates how other people live, what we can do to help them and how we can begin to learn from them.
Inspiration to change, touches base on my personal inspirations: animals and past pioneers, while speaking of how I can begin to inspire myself to become more environmentally conscious.
Inginuative creations, speaks of what has been done. Allowing a glimpse at groundbreaking buildings that maintain functionality while promoting a world where small structures, local living and creative sustainable design reigns. Also mentioning the New Urbanists, and how they have been maintaining a proper lifestyle and building style for decades.
Thinking towards the future, demonstrates how we can take inspiration from all of these designers, architects and places in the world to make your own creation; while helping communities in need.
The Eco-Guide helps a motivated person easily find readily available products for all avenues of environmental building, decorating and energy needs.
Once people understand the negative elements in design that have lead to the spawning of dead malls, change can properly begin. From learning from others, we can begin to see a brighter future. Let’s start with the Scarborough Town Centre, as a way to demonstrate to Torontonians that change can be accomplished through creative solutions and the dedication to a better city.
Allow this video to help begin your motivational process. Giving you a better understanding of the design techniques being used in today’s society, and why change needs to be implemented immediately.
ALTERNATIVE LIVING
“Where there is no vision: The people perish”
THE HISTORY OF BUILDING:
Within the last three hundred years, building methods have changed dramatically. Living standards continuously rise, therefore altering the size, location and construction materials used in building, while advances in architecture began to accommodate new technologies.
In North America, homes were originally built small. Consisting of one room, they were inspired by European building techniques. Building materials transitioned into those of the New World due to the varying climatic conditions and topography. Four hundred and fifty square feet was the original allotted space for each house as they were eventually expanded and remodelled. Floor plans were refashioned in order to accommodate domestic amenities. The late 18th and early 19th centuries lead to the invention of the bedroom. As the size of homes grew, the size of family members diminished, leading to the rise of suburbia. Allowing each family member to have a private bedroom, barriers form within the family home; youths began regarding their bedrooms as an entitlement as opposed to a privilege. Homes are continuously and rapidly evolving, adding and eliminating rooms and their purposes; “these transformations are the result of demographic, economic, lifestyle, environmental, and technological pressures” (1). Since the beginning of the last century, the average home has grown from 800 square feet to 2200 square feet in 2009. However, conversely in 2010, homes are slowly being to be built on smaller scales as home owners take on the responsibility to regard the environment as an issue, opting for “efficiency over extravagance” (2).
THE SUBURBS:
“For most Americans, it has always been easier to retreat than to repair. This has led to schizophrenic urbanism – people making new places that evoke old qualities while being oblivious to the consequences of abandoning exemplary places made earlier. This self-perpetuating cycle of American urbanization – expanding rings of new development, disinvestments in settled areas, wasteful consumption of resources, obsolescence, highway congestion, economic (now more racial) segregation, homogeneity, always leading to new cycles of perimeter development – is finally being acknowledged as self-defeating.” - Alex Krieger1
MOVIES DEDICATED TO THE DEVISTATION OF SUBURBIA AND URBAN SPRAWL:
Escape from Suburbia: Beyond the American Dream Trailer
Sprawling From Grace, Driven To Madness Trailer
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
NEW URBANISM: In the 1980’s, an urban design movement arose in the United States, known as new urbanism. This type of design promotes walk-friendly neighbourhoods, while continuously transforming the way in which urban planning is carried out. These neighbourhoods are inspired by the way of life preceding the rise of the automobile, including many of the ideals associated with Traditional Neighbourhood Design, Transit Oriented Development, Regionalism and Environmentalism.
“The heart of New Urbanism is in the design of neighbourhoods, which can be defined by thirteen elements:
1. The neighbourhood has a discernible center. This is often a square or a green and sometimes a busy or memorable street corner. A transit stop would be located at this center.
2. Most of the dwellings are within a five-minute walk of the center, an average of roughly 1/4 mile or 1,320 feet (0.4 km).
3. There are a variety of dwelling types — usually houses, row houses, and apartments — so that younger and older people, singles, and families, the poor, and the wealthy may find places to live.
4. At the edge of the neighbourhood, there are shops and offices of sufficiently varied types to supply the weekly needs of a household.
5. A small ancillary building or garage apartment is permitted within the backyard of each house. It may be used as a rental unit or place to work (for example, an office or craft workshop).
6. An elementary school is close enough so that most children can walk from their home.
7. There are small playgrounds accessible to every dwelling — not more than a tenth of a mile away.
8. Streets within the neighbourhood form a connected network, which disperses traffic by providing a variety of pedestrian and vehicular routes to any destination.
9. The streets are relatively narrow and shaded by rows of trees. This slows traffic, creating an environment suitable for pedestrians and bicycles.
10. Buildings in the neighbourhood center are placed close to the street, creating a well-defined outdoor room.
11. Parking lots and garage doors rarely front the street. Parking is relegated to the rear of buildings, usually accessed by alleys.
12. Certain prominent sites at the termination of street vistas or in the neighbourhood center are reserved for civic buildings. These provide sites for community meetings, education, and religious or cultural activities.
13. The neighbourhood is organized to be self-governing. A formal association debates and decides matters of maintenance, security, and physical change. Taxation is the responsibility of the larger community.
Varying factors, prominently the growing demand to acquire LEED certification in buildings, has enhanced New Urbanism. Evolving from a practical living strategy to what is now known as Sustainable Urbanism; these walk-friendly neighbourhoods now include high performance buildings and infrastructure that benefit the environment.
ECO PRODUCTS:
A GUIDE FOR ALL PRODUCTS TO BEGIN LIVING IN A GREENER BUILDING:
HERE IS A LIST OF LINKS COURTESY OF AZURE MAGAZINE (THE GREEN GUIDE):
(I provided one link per topic)
BUILDING SHELL
STRUCTURE
· BLOCK www.greenistbrick.com
· INSULATED CONCRETE FORMS www.omniblock.com
· WALLBORD PANELS www.durra.com
CLADDING
· WOOD SIDING www.collinswood.com
· FIBRE CEMENT PANELS www.jameshardie.com
· RECYCLED BRICK www.bricksalvage.com
· RAIN SCREENS www.paperstoneproducts.com
· COLOURFUL FACADES www.trespa.com
ROOFING www.renewwood.com
THERMAL INSULATION
· CELLULOSE www.greenfiber.com
· NATURAL FIBRE www.insultechnology.com
· SPRAY FOAM www.biobased.net
· FIBRE GLASS www.jm.com
· MINERAL WOOL www.rockwool.com
GLAZING
· WINDOWS www.milgard.com
· SKYLIGHTS AND SUN PIPES www.velux.com
· FILMS www.3m.com
· TRANSLUCENT FACADES www.sage-ec.com
HVAC AND WATER WORKS
GEOTHERMAL www.earthlinked.com
WIND TURBINES www.windenergy.com
SUN SYSTEMS
· PHOTOVOLTAICS www.gepower.com
· SOLAR TRACKING SHADES www.mechoshade.com
· SOLAR HOT WATER www.solaheart.com.au
WATER SYSTEMS
· RAINWATER HARVESTING www.gardenwatersaver.com
· GREY WATER SYSTEMS www.envirosink.com
· WATER HEAT EXCHANGE www.watercycles.ca
COMPOSTING TOILETS www.biolet.com
INDOOR AND DECORATIVE
FLOORING
· RUBBER www.johnsonite.com
· BAMBOO AND PALM www.plyboo.com
· RECLAIMED WOOD www.timelessmaterials.com
· CORK www.amcork.com
· TILE www.floorgres.it
· CERTIFIED WOOD www.earthsourcewood.com
· CARPETING www.delinear.com
· LINOLEUM www.torlys.com
SURFACING
· STONE LOOK-ALIKES www.paperstoneproducts.com
· CONCRETE www.meldusa.com
· OTHER OPTIONS www.laminart.com
TEXTILES
· WINDOW COVERINGS www.hunterdouglas.ca
· UPHOLSTERY www.backhausen.com
WALL COVERINGS
· PANELLING www.modulararts.com
· PAINTS AND FINISHES www.boomerangpaint.com
· NATURAL COVERINGS www.fibreworks.com
· WALLPAPER www.mioculture.com
KITCHENS www.aya.com
LANDSCAPE
PAVING
· PERVIOUS PAVEMENT www.stoneycreekmaterials.com
OUTDOOR ELEMENTS
· DECKING www.ecoboard.org
· BARRIERS www.bamboofencer.com
GREEN ROOFS www.zinco.ca
· PRE-GROWN TRAYS AND BLANKETS www.greenroofblocks.com
LIVING WALLS www.agreenroof.com
