Adjusting the North American Suburb: Combatting Internalization and Loneliness Through Design

This thesis explores the loneliness and isolation of suburban life and proposes adjustments to the suburban landscape through design. For suburban dwellings, acts of consumption that take place in one's home rather than in shared environments. The internalization of the 'modern comforts of home' have resulted in a residential typology that facilitates an individualistic and isolating lifestyle. In response, this thesis seeks to design spaces for social interaction and connectedness on neighborhood sites that are otherwise unused or underutilized. The suburban neighborhood of Cachet Woods, located in the Greater Toronto Area serves as a testing ground. These sites in Cachet Woods; a cul-de-sac, an open field, and a utility corridor offer experimental grounds for the implementation of socially-based infrastructure that promotes interaction, participation, and belonging.