In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars

Started by Lunican, May 13, 2009, 02:30:35 PM

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Lunican

May 13, 2009, 02:30:35 PM
QuoteVAUBAN, Germany â€" Residents of this upscale community are suburban pioneers, going where few soccer moms or commuting executives have ever gone before: they have given up their cars.

Street parking, driveways and home garages are generally forbidden in this experimental new district on the outskirts of Freiburg, near the French and Swiss borders. Vauban’s streets are completely “car-free” â€" except the main thoroughfare, where the tram to downtown Freiburg runs, and a few streets on one edge of the community. Car ownership is allowed, but there are only two places to park â€" large garages at the edge of the development, where a car-owner buys a space, for $40,000, along with a home.

Full Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/earth/12suburb.html?em

Sigma

#1
May 13, 2009, 03:49:51 PM
Sounds lovely, go live there.  ;D
"The learned Fool writes his Nonsense in better Language than the unlearned; but still 'tis Nonsense."  --Ben Franklin 1754

Lunican

#2
May 13, 2009, 03:57:05 PM
No thanks.

BridgeTroll

#3
May 13, 2009, 04:01:19 PM
I'm guessing great restaurants and pubs... within walking distance... :)

Quotenear the French and Swiss borders.
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

Joe

#4
May 13, 2009, 05:10:42 PM Last Edit: May 13, 2009, 05:18:11 PM by Joe
I read this article (linked from Planetizen) this morning. I was very excited, because they described such a wonderful place.

Unfortunately, after digging a little deeper, Vauban seems like a mediocre neighborhood. Although cars are (somewhat) limited, Vauban is not that urban at all. It resembles a typical European commie-block suburb. The architecture is very Dutch (imho, dehumanizing). There appears to be little mixing of uses. Buildings are oriented into long apartment blocks, rather than in an urban layout.

If nothing else, Vauban shows that urban places are about more than the lack of cars.
I support the idea of a car-free neighborhood - but this isn't it.

















Generally, I see lots of cars in the car-free neighborhood. ;)

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