Ep 4: The marketing of suburbia was a lie. Here’s how we can fix it. | June Williamson & Ellen Dunham-Jones with Evan Baehr
America's dying malls and vacant strip centers hold the key to solving our housing crisis - if we're bold enough to reimagine them.
About the Episode
This episode takes on the unexpected challenge of reinventing America's aging suburbs. Urban designers June Williamson and Ellen Dunham-Jones reveal how empty shopping malls, vacant strip centers, and endless parking lots can be transformed into vibrant, walkable communities. Rather than continuing suburban sprawl, they show how "retrofitting" these spaces could solve our housing crisis while creating more connected, sustainable neighborhoods. In the field, we visit Mueller - a former airport in Austin, Texas that's been reimagined as a mixed-income, high-density community combining urban amenities with sustainable design. Through innovative architecture, strategic density, and thoughtful planning, Mueller demonstrates how suburban retrofits can reduce car dependency, foster social connections, and create more affordable housing options. This episode charts a promising path forward for America's suburbs, showing how smart design can help these spaces evolve to meet the changing needs of future generations.
