Hello everyone, my name is Brennan Johnson and this is my reflection for module one on the urban American cities in the future. In this reflection, I'll touch on all the required materials. The article Gary Indiana and the long shadow of US Steel the two videos magic city of steel part one and an American in the making the reading what is a city and future all that matters. I'll also bring the additional three sources future craft the city of tomorrow and the articles the future of cities and what are future cities. Uh there were four specific passages and concepts that stood out to me. Um starting with from what is a city the idea of a city as a theater of a social action really has an effect in a sense. Um it's really such a powerful way to think um about cities uh because they tend to intensify the human experience in both good and bad ways. Um from the reading future all that matters um the line about the future not existing but being real um was kind of confusing at first but then it like kind of clicked for me because um our choices now determine the future in a sense. Um the Gary and Indiana story was kind of troubling, but it showed um inequality and environmental harm like can kind of linger after like the jobs uh disappear. And in the future craft um reading, I kind of like appreciated the idea of instead of um trying to predict the future um we should provoke um conversations about the possible future. Um that kind of felt uh refreshing in a sense uh because it reminded me um of how predictions can be wrong and stuff like that. Um um as an example, you know, like uh year to year they have college football rankings and um for each new season and most of the time they're completely off and they're completely wrong about those predictions as the season moves on. So things can change drastically. So, what ideas from the materials challenged my thinking the most? Um, I probably would say the story of Gary, Indiana. Um, mainly because it made me rethink my assumptions. Always thought cities were very resilient and always had like constant growth. But I see how dear Gary um declined because of its dependence on one industry and also racism. Um the future of cities um also challenged my thinking because it argued that cities remain vital despite technology making distance less important in a sense. Um I I've always heard people say remote work is killing cities but um the author makes a strong case for why face tof face interaction and error concentration still matters to this day. Um and when reading future all that matters um it kind of talks about the idea that the future really doesn't exist um yet but we have to create it through um our actions. Um this re this made me realize I see the future as something that just happens not something that we actively shape and we control from our actions um and what we do now. Hello everyone. My name is Brennan Johnson and this is my reflection from module one on urban American cities in the future. In this reflection, I'll touch on all the required materials. The article Gary Indiana and the long shadow of the US steel, the two videos, magic city of steel part one and the American in the making. The readings what is a city and future all that matters also will bring three additional resources. future craft, the city of tomorrow and the articles, the future of cities and what are futures of cities. My main key takeaways uh from this modules um are that cities are shaped by people's choices, not just by technology. Um the future isn't really something that just happens. It's something we help create like through the um like through our personal actions. Um, we also need to question ideas about growth and progress because they can sometimes hide unfairness and inequality. Um, and I felt as if there are so many possible um outcomes for the future. Um, and we personally need to choose to work towards the ones that we want, the ones that will benefit us in the long run. At first, it was kind of hard for me um to tell how these muh materials connected or even contradicted each other, but um you can kind of see how because they all agree that cities are dynamic and shaped by human decisions. Um but they can also change based on how resilient um a city really is. Uh Peter Hall, the author of Future Cities, says that cities thrive um basically because they move as one. But uh the city of Gary, Indiana shows that cities can also fail when people and policies fail them in a sense. uh the other authors kind of emphasized the idea of plural features that there just not one path uh forward and this kind of was a connection I noticed and the early optimism in America in the making about industrial progress really contrasts what actually happens in Gary Indiana which makes you question those narratives of like growth and stuff like that. How do these materials shape my thinking about urban sustainability and the future of cities? Um, I would say they helped me see that sustainability isn't just about technology. Um, but it's also about fairness, good leadership, and learning from the past. The future cities uh report showed me that ideas like smart and resilience um can help us rethink cities, but they also can just be buzzwords if like not done correctly. Um, uh, all that matters. um in the future craft taught me that it's important to um imagine and like talk about different possible futures um if we want cities to be fair and sustainable in the future. Uh to sum everything up, I just wanted to mention that I use open AI sht to help me organize uh some of my ideas. I think tools like this are very useful for like saving time and clarifying your thoughts. Um, but they shouldn't replace um how you actually engage with the material. Um, me personally, I recommend them as a support, not just like a shortcut or anything like that. Thank you.

In this video, I’ll break my reflection into three sections—one for each lesson. After each, I’ll share my key takeaways. I’ll also discuss additional sources toward the end.

Lesson 3.1: Demographics, Aging, and Declining Enrollment

The demographic transition model helped me visualize how the U.S. is entering the later stages of population change. One major takeaway was that our population is aging fast, but urban infrastructure hasn’t adapted to meet the needs of older adults.

The Wall Street Journal article, “American College Towns Go From Boom to Bust,” made this clear. Cities like Macomb, Illinois, are economically collapsing as universities lose students. Dorms are emptying, businesses are closing, and towns are struggling. One quote really stuck with me:

"It’s almost like you’re watching the town die." This drives home the reality of demographic change when a city relies on a single economic anchor.

These ideas connect directly to the video “How Will Society Change as the U.S. Ages?” which emphasized the need for walkable cities, elder care, and multi-generational housing design.

Key Takeaway: Cities must diversify their economies and services—or risk collapse under their own demographic weight.

Lesson 3.2: Time, Mental Health, and City Life

Georg Simmel’s “The Metropolis and Mental Life” explains how urban environments overload the senses, leading people to emotionally shut down. As he puts it, “Man reacts with his head instead of his heart.” I’ve seen this in real life—how people put up emotional walls as a survival tactic in fast-paced cities.

Tuan’s “Fears and Cities” built on this idea, arguing that while cities were once designed for order, they now often feel chaotic and unsafe. He contrasts ancient cities aligned with celestial order to today’s urban environments that often clash with basic human needs.

Sardar’s chapter “Where is the Future?” challenged me most. It introduced the idea that cultures experience time differently. Western cities function on linear, clock-based time, but many Indigenous and religious communities view time as event-based. The quote,

“I’ll meet you when the cows come out,”
reminded me that our concept of progress is not universal.

Key Takeaway: Understanding how people perceive time and manage stress in cities is crucial to designing urban spaces that nourish mental health and preserve human dignity.

Lesson 3.3: Redlining, Suburbanization, and Future Possibilities

This lesson hit hardest for me. The NPR video on redlining showed how government policies caused racial segregation and generational poverty. Minority communities were denied loans just because of their race. These policies created wealth gaps that still exist today.

Nicole Aschoff and Lizzy O’Shea’s article on suburbanization explained how post-WWII programs like the GI Bill and FHA helped white men buy homes—while women and people of color were largely excluded. The suburbs weren’t just housing—they were tools for exclusion.

Toffler’s “The Modular Man” took this further by showing how people have become interchangeable and disposable. In today’s cities, we often form temporary, transactional relationships rather than lasting community.

That’s why I appreciated Dolores Hayden’s “What Would a Non-Sexist City Be Like?” so much. She argues that suburban design traps women, especially working mothers. Her vision of gender-equitable cities includes walkable neighborhoods, co-designed childcare, and housing that supports real-life needs.

Key Takeaway: Moving forward, cities must repair the harm caused by redlining and discriminatory policies. The built environment must support equity—not just efficiency.

Additional Materials

Robert Putnam’s NYT Interview revisited Bowling Alone and introduced two types of social capital: bonding (among similar people) and bridging (across different groups). He warned that loneliness leads to societal breakdown. Cities must intentionally build bridging connections.

Afrofuturism: Sci-Fi + Social Justice inspired me to think creatively about the future. This video showed how art and storytelling can imagine cities built on justice—not just policy. It reminded me that imagination is just as important as planning.

Women and Urban Planning highlighted how women are reshaping cities to better serve everyone—especially when it comes to safety, childcare, and transit. It directly connects to Hayden’s feminist framework and proves that diversity in planning leads to more inclusive cities.

Final Reflection

Module 3 taught me that sustainable cities must be people-centered, not profit-centered. They must acknowledge history, support mental health, and recognize cultural perspectives on time and connection.

To build the cities of tomorrow, we need to repair past injustices like redlining, adopt inclusive urban designs like Hayden’s, and plan with empathy—not just for efficiency.

Thank you for watching my reflection. I used ChatGPT by OpenAI to help organize my thoughts and structure this script.

This module included two main lessons Lesson 4.1 and Lesson 4.2 as well as several additional readings. At the end of each lesson, I’ll also share my connections and key takeaways.

Lesson 4.1 The Changing Economic Context of Cities

From Knox and Pinch, one big idea that stood out to me was how cities evolve alongside economic transitions. They describe the shift from preindustrial cities, which had rigid social orders, to industrial cities built on Fordism, and finally to post-industrial cities shaped by globalization and technology. What challenged me was realizing how much inequality these transitions create. Cities often polarize into groups — some people gain access to new opportunities, while others are left behind.

From Naisbitt’s Megatrends, the major theme was the shift from a national economy to a world economy. America once dominated global industry, but by the 1980s Japan, South Korea, and Brazil were rising. His phrase “thinking globally, acting locally” really resonated with me. It connects to today’s reality that cities compete on a global stage but still must meet the daily needs of their local communities.

Connections and Takeaway for Lesson 4.1:
These materials challenged me to rethink cities not just as local places, but as nodes in a global network. For sustainability, this means cities cannot act in isolation — they must coordinate across borders on trade, migration, and especially climate. My key takeaway is that economic shifts always reshape city life, and the cities that adapt fastest are usually the ones that thrive.

Lesson 4.2 Transitions in Outlook, Work, Infrastructure, and Real Estate

The TED-Ed video asked: “Can the economy grow forever?” The idea that infinite growth is impossible really challenged me to think about alternatives.

The COVID-19 video showed how the pandemic accelerated remote work and changed housing demand.

The WIRED real estate interview highlighted how zoning restrictions and affordability crises are shaping U.S. cities.

Finally, the Stanford infrastructure video stressed that smart, data-driven investments are crucial for resilience and sustainability.

Additional Materials

Paoletta’s Shrinking the Economy to Save the World introduced the degrowth movement, which argues that to save the planet, we must move away from our obsession with GDP and accept slower or even negative growth.

Bieri’s Are Green Cities Nice Places to Live? showed that greener cities lead to a higher quality of life, making sustainability not just an environmental choice but also an economic one.

Kahloon’s The World Keeps Getting Richer. Some People Are Worried pointed out the paradox that while growth has lifted billions out of poverty, it has also made climate change worse. This really challenged me — how do we balance justice for developing nations with sustainability for the planet as a whole?

Keynes’ Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren was surprisingly optimistic. He predicted that by now, societies might be able to work shorter hours and focus more on quality of life than accumulation. That made me reflect on whether we’ve failed to realize his vision.

Connections and Takeaway for Lesson 4.2

These additional sources sometimes contradicted each other. Keynes imagined abundance, while degrowth argues for contraction. Bieri showed that green growth can improve life, while Kahloon warned that too much growth could destroy the planet.

My takeaway is that the future of cities depends on redefining success beyond GDP. Cities that invest in green infrastructure, embrace flexible work, and prioritize well-being will be more sustainable and more attractive.

Conclusion

In summary, Module 4 really shaped my perspective. Lesson 4.1 showed me that economic transitions always change cities, while Lesson 4.2 forced me to wrestle with the paradox of growth and sustainability.

My biggest takeaway is that the future of cities depends on finding a balance embracing innovation and global interdependence, while also protecting the environment and focusing on quality of life. That balance is the only way cities can remain sustainable for future generations.

And finally, I want to note that I used ChatGPT’s OpenAI tools to help me organize my thoughts for today’s reflection. Thank you.

In this module, we explored how cities are working to build sustainable futures in the face of climate change, energy demands, food insecurity, and post-globalization challenges. I’ll break down each lesson, highlight what challenged me, what stood out, and how the additional sources deepened my understanding.

Lesson 5.1: Urban Sustainability & Biophilic Cities

In the Crash Course video, we learned that sustainable cities must balance three key pillars: environmental health, social equity, and economic viability.
What challenged me most was realizing how hard it is to strike this balance—especially in the Global South, where infrastructure and population growth often outpace planning efforts.

The guest lecture by Tim Beatley and Carla Jones-Harrell introduced the concept of biophilic cities—urban spaces designed to integrate nature into everyday life. What stood out to me was the powerful link between greenery and emotional well-being. Biophilic design isn’t just environmentally smart—it’s also essential for mental health and building stronger communities.

Lesson 5.2: Energy and Food

In the chapter by Rodey and Claw, the authors explain how outdated heating systems in buildings waste energy. One striking example was how heat flows into homes regardless of whether someone is present. Their solution—smart systems like Nest—shows how syncing energy use with human behavior can drive real sustainability gains.

The video on AI and energy was surprising. We often think of digital technology as clean, but I learned that AI systems require enormous amounts of energy. This really challenged my assumptions about the environmental impact of tech.

The Financial Times documentary on food after globalization highlighted how cities are working to localize food systems. Innovations like vertical farming and urban agriculture impressed me—they reduce emissions while improving access to fresh produce. This showed me that food is no longer just a rural issue; it’s central to urban sustainability.

Lesson 5.3: Globalization and Post-Globalization

Patrick Le Galès’ article, The Rise and Fall of the Sociology of the Global City, challenged the idea that cities like New York or London are still dominant. He argues that climate change, migration, and inequality are reshaping what it means to be urban. This made me think of cities not only as economic engines, but also as battlegrounds for justice and human survival.

Additional Sources

1. "12 Migrants, One Apartment" – The New Yorker
This article gave a face to the housing crisis. Twelve migrants sharing one small apartment in Queens—using curtains for walls and one bathroom. It reminded me that urban sustainability isn’t just about green roofs or carbon emissions. It’s about human dignity.

2. UN Strategic Foresight Guide
This guide was a game changer. It introduced tools like scenario planning, horizon scanning, and backcasting—methods that help cities plan for multiple futures. What stood out was how these tools emphasize participation and long-term thinking, which are crucial for tackling complex urban problems like housing and inequality.

3. "America’s Yard Sale" – Business Insider
This article looked at the rise of the secondhand economy. Platforms like Poshmark, Depop, and ThredUp are helping people buy and sell used goods for both affordability and sustainability. It connected back to Lesson 5.1—sustainability doesn’t always mean high-tech. Sometimes, it’s about making better use of what we already have.

Final Connections & Takeaways

Across all three lessons and the additional readings, I found a few powerful themes:

Technology isn’t automatically sustainable—it must be managed responsibly. Nature and community matter—future cities must be designed not just with data, but with people in mind. Equity is essential—human stories, whether from migrants or thrift resellers, show us the true heart of sustainability. And finally, tools like strategic foresight can help cities shift from reactive crisis responses to proactive, inclusive planning.

This module taught me that urban sustainability isn’t just about systems. It’s about people. From energy and food to housing and future planning, we need solutions that are not only smart—but inclusive and rooted in human dignity.

Thanks for listening to my reflection. I used OpenAI's ChatGPT to help organize my thoughts.

In this module, we explored how technology shapes urban form and influences the way we imagine and plan future cities. Throughout this course, we’ve touched on technology’s role here and there, but in this module it takes center stage—not just as a tool, but as a force that changes how cities work, look, and even feel. What stood out to me was how the module connected history, present-day technology, and even science fiction visions into one conversation, showing how each influences the next. It made me think not only about what technology can do, but also what it should do for communities.

Lesson 6.1 – The Technologically Evolving City

One of the main readings, Cities in the Third Wave by Ruch, used the “three waves of change” to show how cities evolve:

First Wave – Agriculture and Pre-Industrial: Small, walkable, and connected to waterways.

Second Wave – Industrial: Steam power, railroads, and factories transformed cities into manufacturing hubs.

Third Wave – Post-Industrial: Built around knowledge, innovation, and advanced technology—cities now trade in ideas, software, and global networks instead of steel and coal.

What struck me was that each wave didn’t fully replace the one before. Traces of industrial and even pre-industrial patterns still exist today. This overlap means planners have to manage layers of history while building for the future.

In Leah Navis’s Revisiting the Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, technology—especially AI—was used to analyze public spaces in Manhattan Plaza. The study revealed surprising patterns. For example, William Whyte’s old idea of “street theater,” where people watch other people, doesn’t hold the same way today. Instead, people often gather in public spaces but focus on their devices. They also discovered quirky habits like:

The Donut Effect: People fill in the edges of a plaza first.

Viewophilia: A love of good views.

Lizarding: Relaxing in the sun.

These findings show how small design elements—like bench placement or sunlight—can shape how people use spaces. AI now gives planners tools to measure these behaviors in ways that were previously impossible.

The Crash Course Geography video tied this together by showing how technology shapes city growth, from transportation to communication. It also warned that poorly planned technology can create inequality—such as when new transit lines bypass lower-income neighborhoods.

Anthony Townsend’s The Ghost Road made me think about future mobility. He warned that if we simply replace human-driven cars with self-driving ones but keep the same car-focused infrastructure, we’ll miss the chance to design safer, more walkable, and greener streets.

Connections and Takeaways – Lesson 6.1

My three biggest takeaways:

Technology is a driver of urban change—and now it moves at a faster pace and larger scale. This speed is exciting but dangerous, because mistakes can have immediate and widespread effects.

Data is powerful but must enhance human experience. AI can tell us where people sit, but only listening to their voices can tell us why they feel comfortable there.

Human preferences still matter. No matter how advanced cities become, people still want sunlight, views, and comfortable spaces. Ignoring these needs risks creating smart but cold and disconnected cities.

Additional Resources

Carl Abbott’s “Dude, Where’s My Aircar?” – From Imagining Urban Futures. He used science fiction to show that many future city visions just resemble present-day cities with flashier tech, like flying cars or moving sidewalks. This made me realize how limited our imagination can be—we often just upgrade existing systems rather than rethink them for equity and sustainability.

Jill Lepore’s “The Artificial State” – Highlighted the risks of algorithm-driven politics. It made me think about urban planning: if corporations control the algorithms that decide which neighborhoods get investment, we could create a digital form of redlining.

Evgeny Morozov’s “The Social Origins of Big Data” – Explored Chile’s 1970s Cybersyn project, an early attempt to manage an entire economy in real time with data. This reminded me that smart city ideas have existed for decades and are always tied to political values. Technology carries moral choices as well as technical ones.

Conclusion

Module 6 reinforced for me that technology is not neutral—it shapes our cities, politics, and daily lives. It can help us design more sustainable, connected communities, but it can also create inequality or strip away the human element if we’re not careful.

Future cities won’t just be about roads, buildings, and parks they’ll also run on invisible networks of data and algorithms. We need planners who can read code as well as blueprints, and leaders who know that just because we canautomate something doesn’t mean we should.

The best “smart” city is ultimately a human city—one that uses technology as a servant, not a master.

Thanks for watching