Urban Evolution

From the first half of the semester in Social Issues in Urban Planning I’ve been particularly engaged in the discussion concerning the evolution of the urban environment from the beginning of the 20th century till today. More specifically, I’m interested in how technological advancements have played out through time – examining their direct and powerful impact on the built environment that surrounds us.

The story begins with the introduction of the first mass produced vehicle, the Model T, in 1908. As early as 1930, automakers began lobbying for federally funded highways as they designed their vision of the future – the vehicle based city. However, it wouldn't be until 11 years after the end WW2, when the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 was signed, authorizing 25 billion dollars for construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways. Design was based largely on the motives of American automobile manufacturers and highways soon restructured urban life around the vehicle, often isolating inner city populations. And as U.S cities gained quick, ubiquitous, access to open land outside the city center, the wealthy white population left in droves, giving birth to the low-density, mono-functional, and homogeneous sprawl we know today. Further still, construction of these highways often targeted poor, non-white populations, literally demolishing communities and neighborhoods to make way for the new highways.

Although less dramatic, Albuquerque has had a similar experience; the construction of I-25 and I-40 have divided Albuquerque into quarters, and have to some extent caused degradation in the downtown core. Personally, I grew up in the middle of the NE heights where racial demographics tend to lean towards segregated rather than integrated, especially as you enter higher-income areas. But even more so, in my experience it’s a space largely cut off from the culture that made Albuquerque. In fact, a lot of what defines and differentiates Albuquerque historically is located west of I-25, since a significant portion of the interstate runs along the limit of the Albuquerque’s ancestral dwelling place. And as a relatively new site, large chunks of the metro area have developed with a heavy reliance on the vehicle, further contributing to this cultural/racial disconnect.

The force of these dominant 20th century advancements will continue to be felt, but they’re slowly settling – and a new force is currently rising to dominance. The microprocessor now has the potential of being the primary decentralizing force of our time, just as the automobile was in the 20th century. In general, this decentralization refers to tech-based urban growth. And when considering this concept in terms of the microprocessor – we’re looking at growth, restructuring, or outsourcing, as economies are no longer tied to physical locations.

This idea is so interesting to me because it seems as if in the last decade or so, the digital economy has really come into it’s own. Nowadays, opportunities to work online from home are everywhere and almost every industry with brick and mortar locations are feeling the pressure from e-commerce. The ease and efficiency of simply ordering something online and waiting for delivery has quickly become the preferred method of making purchases in households all over the U.S. It’s not uncommon for households to have a seemingly constant stream of Amazon prime boxes shipped to their house, often buying products that they would have purchased somewhere in-town 5 years ago.

On the other side of things, my family actually owns a local irrigation and landscaping company, and so we’ve had to adjust to the market accordingly. Although most of the family’s business is service oriented and has been largely shielded from the growth of e-commerce, the few brick and mortar locations they do have, have been compelled to become more than just a simple retail store. These locations have slowly become spaces that stress interaction with trained and personable professionals who can offer region specific advice and guidance that can otherwise be hard to find. In addition, when these stores first opened they primarily sold simple irrigation products, but now that those products can be found online, sometimes at a lower price, the majority of product sold at these locations has become stuff like flagstone, railroad ties, and sod - material that simply can’t be bought online.

Ironically, the one thing that holds true through all this turbulence in our urban environment is change. Although we may not know exactly what the future holds for us, as planners we can rest assured knowing that change will remain a steady force - we will eternally remain in a state of transition.