Existence Minimum

I propose that Americans, once searching and striving for the American Dream of a house on a plot of land with a little picket fence and 2 cars in the driveway, are becoming more willing to accept a more space conscious private lifestyle. I believe that as growing numbers of Americans find the American Dream impossible to achieve economically and as they are forced to reduce spending to in order to maintain their connection to work, play, and society (the car) a trend toward existence minimum will be revived. This will also go along with recent developments in the understanding of what our lifestyle is doing to the environment.

Along with this will have to come a development of a stronger public life and a more active and well designed public realm. Public life will have to move back out of the home (see European social scene) . The current public realm is deteriorating or is designed with the suburban lifestyle in mind (malls especially). A revitalization of street life and free public spaces will be fairly easy to accomplish with a little bit of attention to design.