City of the Cul-de-Sac

"This image, which is a digital photograph of a 24”-diameter mixed-media model, speculates on alternative arrangements for the city. In the model, “sprawl” development is unleashed on a spherical surface, thus questioning how sprawl can manifest itself in a city without a periphery or edge condition? Since sprawl cannot spread out infinitely, it became apparent that “Sprawl 2.0” would have to be less concerned about outward expansion and more interested in efficiently divvying up limited surface area. The city depicted in this image represents just such a transformation of sprawl. Transportation infrastructure is created by burrowing into the center of each cul-de-sac (sprawling in) and linking to other cul-de-sacs via a subterranean street grid. The privacy of the cul-de-sac is combined with the connectivity of the street grid. Cul-de-sacs, rather than being the endpoint of a spiral away from the city, now become city-centers in themselves. The dead end is now the center."