Gwangju International Center

American Suburbs : the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

 

Speaker : Matt Furlane

Date: Nov 2, 2013 

Review writer: Minseon Lee 

Proofreader: Sam Winters

 

This talk is presented by Matt Furlane, who worked in housing construction, and landscaping, in numerous suburban neighborhoods in the Chicago area. His topic for the GIC Talk is ‘American Suburbs : the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.’ The talk spans numerous topics in relation to the suburbs in the U.S. In his characteristically calm voice, Matte explains the original purpose of the suburbs and their impact on things like climate change, the recession, crime, food, drug use, and culture. He tells us about each of these by fitting them into one of three categories: ‘the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’. Additionally, he draws a contrast with urban planning in Korea, which does not have the space for sprawling suburbs and the attendant problems of American suburban life. During the lecture, he uses visual materials like various photos and PowerPoint to deliver his speech in an effective way. This lecture is a good opportunity to look over the changes of suburban life and to think over the possible solutions for a better and more efficient model of living in the U.S and Korea.