Ellen Dunham-Jones: Retrofitting suburbia

The video discusses the need to retrofit suburbia to address unintended consequences like climate change, public health issues, and affordability. It highlights the potential of transforming underperforming suburban areas into sustainable, urbanized spaces. The speaker presents various market-driven projects and strategies, such as re-inhabitation and redevelopment, to repurpose dead malls and big-box stores. The video emphasizes the importance of systemic transformation and re-greening, while also addressing future challenges and encouraging viewers to support sustainable suburban development.

What is the main focus of retrofitting suburbia according to the introduction?

• Building new suburbs

• Retrofitting urban areas

• Converting underperforming retail sites into sustainable places

• Expanding green spaces at the edges

Why is urbanizing the suburbs considered a significant opportunity for reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

• Suburbanites drive less than urban dwellers

• Suburban buildings are more energy-efficient

• Suburban areas have more green spaces

• Urban dwellers have a smaller carbon footprint

How does suburban development contribute to public health issues?

• It provides better healthcare facilities

• It reduces the risk of heart disease

• It encourages active lifestyles

• It is linked to sedentary lifestyles and obesity

What demographic shift is influencing the demand for urban lifestyles within suburbia?

• Growth of Generation X

• Retirement of Baby Boomers and rise of Gen Y

• Decrease in suburban population

• Increase in family households

What is a common strategy for repurposing dead malls in suburbia?

• Leaving them abandoned

• Turning them into parking lots

• Converting them into community-serving spaces

• Demolishing them for new malls

What is the role of transit in retrofitting suburban areas?

• It decreases property values

• It is irrelevant to retrofitting

• It drives redevelopment and increases connectivity

• It increases traffic congestion

What is a key benefit of re-greening suburban areas?

• It increases urban sprawl

• It eliminates public spaces

• It restores local ecology and attracts investment

• It reduces housing options

What is one of the challenges for future retrofitting efforts?

• Increasing suburban sprawl

• Reducing public spaces

• Improving architectural design quality

• Maintaining the status quo

What is the final challenge mentioned for achieving sustainable suburban development?

• Increasing suburban parking lots

• Supporting zoning changes and infrastructure improvements

• Building more malls

• Reducing public transportation

What is the expectation for suburbs that the speaker challenges?

• They should expand indefinitely

• They should become more dynamic

• They should remain unchanged

• They should focus on commercial development