A development pattern of low-density sprawl is endemic in North America and breeds myriad environmental and social problems. Understanding the political and sociocultural drivers for sprawl can help us understand how to shift the current trajectory toward a more sustainable model. Using a historical lens focused on the policies and market pressures that facilitated this development typology, this session will track the origins and growth of suburbia using the United States as a prime example.

Following this historical review, this session will shift toward examination of alternative development typologies, and discuss how individual building projects can be part of the move toward more sustainable development.

This session will be available for video playback in Fall of 2009.