The development patterns of US cities has been deeply impacted by the highway system. The term ‘highway rash’ has been used to describe the sprawling patterns of chain retail and dining and gas stations, etc that form around highway entrances/exits. This further centers highways within developement patterns.

Modern gentrification of the last decades has resulted in a similar ‘rash’ kind of developement pattern deeper into older neighborhoods, often in a denser context. Maybe you could call it gentri-rash?

Steve Jobs and his consequences have been a disaster for contemporary architecture and interior design.

modern suburbia (which is where i grew up) is about 100x more soulless so this post kinda falls flat for me. would it be nice if my city weren’t almost entirely owned by the same 4 companies that own every other city? probably yeah. but it still beats the shit out of mcmansions with huge lawns and no trees

Death to America

Counterpoint: modern Chinese cities are pretty nice

places that look like hospitals

places that look like medical research buildings

tbh I feel that more about suburbia than anything. I like cities, but that’s also been my environment pretty much my whole life. while I don’t think rural areas are soulless, I don’t like them very much personally :p

I get what you’re saying about cities tho

Chinese cities are simply insane with little thought given to anything other than mass transit. I love them.

I am used to feeling empty and soulless. Don’t know what a decorated place looks like. Maybe I am spending too much time living in a college dorm.

Western cities yern for color and spice.