| A common critique of suburbs built from the late 1950s forward is that with the dominant garages, lack of front porches and deep setbacks they are particularly isolating places to live. With my research I demonstrate that while these structures do in fact inhibit interaction, some residents of suburbia have adapted the structure and more significantly the use of their front yard space and garages in ways that counteract the effect of the original suburban design. By inventorying the changes in suburban neighborhoods and interviewing a sample of residents from three of those neighborhoods I demonstrate that garages and front yards, in some cases have replaced the liminal space of the front porch and facilitated interaction within suburban neighborhoods. I conclude that this facilitated interaction has led to deeper connections and relatively strong place attachment and sense of place in neighborhoods that would appear placeless to someone passing through. With my research I argue for a more holistic and in depth research approach to suburbia and its problems, acknowledging the adaptations, attachment and sense of place that have developed in neighborhoods as some residents have turned their front yard and garage space into places that facilitate interaction and contribute to intertwining stories of meaning and attachment. |
