Focus on suburbia: Living between dream and reality in Austria's suburbs

Focus on suburbia: Living between dream and reality in Austria's suburbs

Vienna, Österreich - The fascination of the family home remains unbroken, whether in Austria or elsewhere. According to a report by vienna.at , the single -family house is still the most popular form of living in the Alpine Republic, with more and more people withdraw to the suburbs. However, this relocation also leads to fundamental problems: dependence on the car, surface sealing and threatening effects on biodiversity are just a few of the challenges with which the nation of the house builders is confronted. At a press conference for the exhibition "Suburbia. Life in the American Dream" in the Vienna Architecture Center, Philipp Engel, curator of the show, emphasized how the cultural history of the single -family house has developed from the American residential areas of the 19th century.

The exhibition illuminates both the historical and the current perspectives of this residential model, which is traditionally connected to family ideals and gender roles. Lebens-vor-stadt.de illustrates that the family home consider many as an ideal retreat, but this ideal also contradicts changed social structures. In recent decades, the model of the classic core family has changed, which has led to the erosion of the "housewife model". Interestingly, an increasing number of older people live in large single -family houses, although their children have moved out, which raises the question of how future living needs can be covered.

dark sides and solutions

The exhibition not only shows the positive aspects of the single -family house, but also addresses its dark sides, which are characterized by psychological fears and isolation. On leaflets, it is pointed out that the original dream of a safe and harmonious habitat was overshadowed by growing social fears. In order to meet the challenges, the show also presented successful examples of adaptation strategies and alternative uses in order to optimally use the room and to take ecological and social aspects into account.

Overall, the debate about the family home reflects important social developments and requires innovative concepts from architects, urban planners and politicians to make this form of living sustain and to meet the needs of all generations.