The suburban home is a conceptual symbol of the American Dream available for purchase. As a symbol, its emphasis on surface lead to repetition and homogeneity.

This, aided by auto-centric development and the introduction of the air conditioner, facilitated a lack of interaction at the community scale.

During the post-World War II period, white flight from the cities combined with suburban housing policies excluding minorities created all-white Privatopias.

As a reaction to Civil Liberties, the suburbs began to utilize exclusionary zoning in order to separate low-income non-Whites from middle-class residents.

Single-Family

Two-Family

Multi-Family

Retail

Commercial

Industrial

The notions of suburbia are at odds with reality. Today, as Whites move back to cities, in the wake of the foreclosure crisis, minorities are rapidly being drawn in.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Whites Asians Hispanics Blacks

76.7 77.8

57.161.9

53.758.7

43.0

50.5

Share of Population in Suburbs by Race/Ethnicity

2000 2008

This places us in a timely position to break down segregated suburban enclaves and redefine the suburb as a collective of strategic urbanity and community.

HISTORIC IMMIGRATION

Historically, immigrating minorities would first move to cities, and upon acquiring an economic foothold, might move out to the suburbs.

EMERGING IMMIGRATION

Today, immigrants are increasingly moving directly to suburbs, foregoing any significant experience with major urban environments.

Overall

Westchester County Population Change, 2000-2010

White Black HispanicAsian

Population Change

HispanicWhite AsianBlack

Like many other regions, Westchester County, and its image of upper-middle class White society, is experiencing a demographic shift.

Population Change

HispanicWhite AsianBlack

The Town of Ossining is a microcosm of this shift, yet positions itself in a precarious situation, containing two distinct villages: Ossining and Braircliff Manor.

Ossining/Briarcliff Manor Population Change, 2000-2010

OSSBRI

OSSBRI

OSSBRI

OSSBRI

OSSBRI

The Village of Ossining is home to 7,543 foreign born residents which account for 30% of its population whereas the Village of Briarcliff Manor is home to only 833.

BRIARCLIFF MANOR is home to only 833 foreign born residents which account for 10% of its population.

10.1% of OSSINING’s residents were born in Ecuador - the third highest percentage in the country.

10.1% of the Village of Ossining’s residents were born in Ecuador - the third highest percentage in the country. These immigrants are coming from mostly rural areas.

Consequently, the Village of Ossining is only 37.1% White whereas the Village of Briarcliff Manor is 83.2% White.

Hispanic Asian Black White

WESTCHESTERBRIARCLIFF MANOROSSINING

It follows that this division is reflected not only in the racial make-up of the villages, but also in the household income data.

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

Median Household Income

WestchesterBraircli� ManorOssining

The development and zoning of the two villages is also markedly different. 58.05% of Ossining’s residences are single family while Briarcliff is at a staggering 95.09%.

Condominium Multi-Family Two + Three Family Multi-Structure Estate and Rural Single-Family

WESTCHESTERBRIARCLIFF MANOROSSINING

It follows that the discord is also present in both the provision of open space and the overall density in the two villages.

0.00

0.03

0.06

0.09

0.12

0.15

Open Space Acerage Per Residential Unit

0

2

4

6

8

10

Residential Density

WestchesterBraircli� ManorOssining

As the population rose, the county became more segregated. All the new low-income housing was erected in towns that already had well represented minority populations.

Single-Family Residence Multi-Family Residence Business

N

Single-Family Residence Multi-Family Residence Business

N

In the midst of cultural and economic transformation, towns made use of zoning to prevented the construction of high-density housing in White neighborhoods.

OSSINING

Non-eligible municipalities

Ownership HousingOwnership Housing w/Rental Unit(s)Rental Housing

10 units

1 unit

83 units

36 units

18 units

14 units

9 units

2 units1 unit

26 units

3 units

3 units

17 units

BRIARCLIFF MANOR

46 units

3 units 2 units

2 units

4 units

In response to the mandates from the Obama Administration, Westchester has set forth a plan to construct a mere 297 affordable housing units throughout the county.

While mass rebuilding of the suburbs is not possible, we can use the current flux status of zoning to position a new intervention which might break down enclaves.

ASAPAB

TYPICAL ELEMENTARY STRUCTURE

Historically, schools attempted to break barriers through integration. However, students were assigned to schools based on location, thereby segregating them economically.

OSSINING ELEMENTARY STRUCTURE

Ossining actually has a unique precedent for its school system. It demonstrates the community’s interest in establishing a more positive heterogeneity.

Unfortunately, the two villages have their own school districts. Worse yet, Briarcliff students actually drive farther away from diverse Ossining en route to school.

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

HIGH

5TH

3RD+4TH

MID

1ST+2ND

ELEM

HIGH

MID

PRE-K+K

OSSI

NING

SCH

OOLS

BRIA

RCLIFF SCHOOLS

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

?

AVOID

Everywhere except in the low-income apartment and residential zone, there are an abundance of roads crossing the line between the villages.

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

Thus, the existing roadways establish a convoluted path to the new “go-to” Stop ‘n Shop supermarket from Briarcliff.

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

A new shortcut has the potential to increase flow to and from this destination. The site, via its location along a along this shortcut, increases in validity.

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

OSS

BRI

OSSBRI

McApt

Of

More importantly, the site straddles the conceptual and literal seam between villages, on one side low income and ethic, and on the other mostly white upper-middle class.

Presently, the site is an unprogrammed linear greenspace which functions as a microcosm of the conceptual and literal division between Ossining and Briarcliff.

By programming this space we can bring the two communities into contact with each other...

Creating a membrane that they may pass between.

Distributing the program establishes a north-south axis where one experiences the transition between communities.

As this infrastructure passes between the backyards of these residences, it subverts the traditional role of the facade as presentation unto the community.

However, the suburban facade is also a device for controlling privacy. As such it has an underlying logic which can actually generate familiarity and exploration.

KITCHENSCREENED IN PORCH

PORCH FRONT YARDBACK YARD

TREES

SIDEWALK

FENCESHRUBBERY

STREETBEDROOMS

Comfort and familiarity are manifested via the delamination of the facade into a deep space, establishing a series of intermediary, interpenetrating zones.

We can apply these logics to generate hybrid scenarios, subvert traditional public/private relationships and create moments of inclusion and exclusion.

MATERIALIZE DIVISIONMAINTAIN CONDITION

FREE TRADE ZONE VISUAL PERMEABILITY CENTRAL VOID

REINFORCE HIERARCHY

INVERSION

MOAT

By creating a glitch in the system of daily routines, we might effectively introduce these cultures to one another without forcing them to reside in perpetual adjacency.

ASAPAB

PROGRESSIONAB

GYM + SPORTS FACILITIES

PARK

LAUNDROMAT +DRY CLEANING

CAFES +BARS

MARKETBATHS

Each of the typical suburban programs can be fractured and redistributed, creating an ideal organization/codification of adjacencies to generate unique conditions of overlap.

A linear infrastructure linking cultures and destabilizing insular enclaves, recollecting community and urbanity,

promoting the suburbs as a revitalized landscape suitable for shifting demographics via the mediation of division.