Suburban Design Essay Example

Suburban Design Essay Example Suburban Design Essay Suburban Design Essay The article entitled â€Å"How Suburban Design is Failing Teenagers† written by William L. Hamilton and published in the New York Times on May 6, 1999, is an article of great interest for a significant number of stakeholders. There are several quotes that are worth noting in light of the purpose and message of the article. The author mentioned that: Created as safe havens from the sociological ills of cities, suburbs now stand accused of creating their own environmental diseases: lack of character and the grounding principles of identity, lack of diversity or the tolerance it engenders, lack of attachment to shared, civic ideals (Hamilton 217). This statement from the author shows a general picture of how suburbs has become. It is a statement which tries to describe the suburbs not only in geographical or physical terms but in societal terms. It is an argument which has become a reality for some and this calls the attention of several actors to increase their awareness. Likewise, the author cited The Free Press with the â€Å"Parents move there for their children; their children are dying to get out† (qtd in Hamilton 218). This shows the irony of the situation but lacks further relevant explanation. Moving from one place to another is generally seen as a very hard task for children as they have to continuously undergo the process of adjustment. Likewise, there exists the fact that they are commonly not included in the decision-making process. Lastly, the author pointed out a very basic question that has become hard to answer for suburbs: â€Å"Between home and school, in a landscape drawn by cars and the adults who drive them, is there even a particular place that teen-agers can call their own? † (Hamilton 219). This shows how much the teen-agers have been left out in the suburbs when they should have been incorporated in how suburbs are planned and designed. There are certain needs of the teenagers which are not given prior notice by the way life in the suburbs are designed. These are the points which catch the interest of the reader from a personal point of view. These hold the main thoughts and arguments of the article and provide a general guide in understanding the article. References Hamilton, William. â€Å"How Suburban Design is Failing Teenagers. † World is a Text. 2nd Ed. Ed. Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader. NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005.