Think of the city as a living organism. A slow moving blob that is constantly expanding outwards; consuming more land and more resources. As the city spreads, it spawns suburbs, subdivisions and auto-dependent residents. This is urban sprawl, and Christoph Gielen has captured it beautifully in this series of incredible aerial photographs of housing subdivisions across the United States. Be sure to check out his website for even more incredible aerials.

www.christophgielen.com

Eden Prairie, Florida

Housing Subdivision, Arizona

Disadvantages of Urban Sprawl

– High car dependence.
– Inadequate facilities e.g.: cultural, emergency, health, etc.
– Higher per-person infrastructure costs.
– Inefficient street layouts.
– Low diversity of housing and business types.
– Higher per-capita use of energy, land, and water.
– Perceived low aesthetic value

Source: Wikipedia

Deer Crest, California

Advantages of Urban Sprawl

– More single family residences on larger lots.
– Lower land prices.
– Less experience of noise and pollution.
– Suburban areas generally associated with “sprawl” tend to have lower crime and higher-quality schools.
– Perceived overwhelming consumer preference for sprawl-type developments.

Source: Wikipedia

Housing Subdivision, Arizona

Housing Subdivision, Nevada

Skye Isle, Florida

Housing Subdivision, Nevada

Housing Subdivision, Arizona

Housing Subdivision, Nevada

Sterling Ridge, Florida

www.christophgielen.com

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