The Suburbian “Utopia”
Walt Disney’s ‘Master Plan’ was to create a city that acted as a hub for the future. Brands would be invited to test and exhibit new technology, while the 20,000 citizens of EPCOT would all work and live within one of the city’s three rings. Nobody would be unemployed and nobody would own their own property, either.
A city’s urban planning policies strongly influence its citizens’ economic and social welfare. In suburban America, many families choose to dwell in housing developments that are further from city centers. This phenomenon is known as urban sprawl, characterized by the “sprawling” nature of residential housing units away from the city. It is seen to result in a myriad of environmental, economic, and social concerns. Effective urban policies are paramount to counteract such outcomes and ensure sustainable city growth and enduring economic and social prosperity.
