| Popis: |
American cities have become increasingly complex. Within the last century alone, cities have seen the explosion of interstate highways, the growth of suburban development, and the social implications that result from the diversification and disorganization of our nation’s cities and communities. These shifts have fostered the growth of specialized nodes of activity surrounding the traditional city center and have created networks of unique enclaves of activity. For much of the past century, sociologists, architects, urban planners and business leaders have searched for tools to appropriately model these changes in order to better understand their affect on the current culture. A progression can be seen in the models of urban land use, retailing forms, and community structure that lead to the same end. These nodes of specialization are becoming ever more powerful, as consumers and community residents look to appropriate a certain amount of the experiential qualities they offer. No longer do Americans merely purchase a product off the shelf. Instead, consumers are looking to buy into the experience, environment, and lifestyle promised by the ownership of a certain commodity. This need also applies to residential communities. By following the implications found in the progression of the presented models, an examination of the historic Milford downtown will show the potential of a new model. Through the exploration of Milford’s long history and the application of appropriate limiters to downtown scale and use, the area will provide the experiential retail and community centered environments that consumers and residents have been lacking. The end project will support the growth of a strong community consciousness. |
