The Neighbourhood Cluster: Towards Community-Oriented Cluster Growth and Adaptability

The predominant suburban model for living, namely developer-driven developments, currently house much of the North American population, and remains a prospective living situation for many. Despite the lack of community and known side effects of loneliness and social isolation promoted by these low density and inward-looking living scenarios, housing stock is continuously provided in this manner. The future of housing in the suburbs must promote social interaction in order to fulfill human needs and contribute to health and wellbeing as a key contributor towards and social sustainability. This warrants an investigation into history, theories and case studies that challenge these negative aspects of suburban living, while acknowledging the various factors which has lead to their prevalence in North American culture. This culminates in a design exploration of a communally-focused housing model for the suburban condition, which engages various scales which use adaptable spaces to promote sociality and growth.