THE NEW COUNTRY

This book was produced in the fall of 2010 by students and faculty at the Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture. It lays the groundwork for asking the following questions: First, can we imagine a low-density or “zero-growth” urbanism for contemporary American cities? Second, how can a nineteenth century urban fabric be reconfigured for significantly lower, 21st century levels of occupancy? And finally, could high vacancy and disinvestment provide the necessity or opportunity to restructure certain dysfunctional relationships between the public realm and private property?