C.I.T.I.E.S.: Community Integration by the Transformation and Invigoration of Existing Spaces

Abstract

Even with ever evolving technology, movement within the United States continues to be an issue. Traffic and travel times increase as suburbs move further and further from the city while housing prices in the city rise faster than the average citizen can afford. Car dependency is a leading cause in these issues and heavily impact major cities in the United States. This project looks into solving these problems using densification and walkability. Walkability is a buzzword that has become more prevalent in recent years and commonly used as a selling point for projects and designs. Unfortunately, most of the time, the "walkability" aspect of the project is only surface level. This project goes more in depth by talking about the reasons people want to walk and what cities can do to increase the number of pedestrians walking for work, errands, etc. Through an established structural grid, areas that were once underutilized will now be fully activated and better engage the people it supports rather than the cars that invade our space. The structural grid allows for great flexibility in design and use. This creates opportunities for more green spaces throughout cities rather than the current concrete jungles we are used to in the United States. The flexibility of the design also allows for placement within any city or location that these solutions are needed. This project can be the building blocks for a new style of urban development and change the way we move about cities here in the United States and possibly the world.