Suburb Futures is a
design institute that advances equity and sustainability infrastructures in US suburbs.

We are a coalition of suburban residents and civic leaders who learn and take action together to advance equitable and sustainable policies and to distribute plural narratives about U.S. suburbs.

About

What is America? “A nation of suburbs, a nation of immigrants” (S. Mitra Kalita, Suburban Sahibs).  Despite this knowledge, suburbs remain locked in stereotypes as ‘ticky tacky boxes’ and their dynamism is misunderstood. Some suburbs are more socio-economically, culturally, and racially diverse than their counterpart cities. However, the national narratives, research, and policy agendas have not caught up with the realities of this most common US context. More community organizations and community-led approaches are needed to represent the needs and dynamism of U.S. suburbs.

Suburb Futures invests in building coalitions of residents and leaders from within and across U.S. suburbs who can tell the complex intercultural stories and craft policies that reflect the potential of suburbs to become sites of housing, immigration, and transportation equity and sustainability.

"Suburb Futures fills a much needed void in organizations supporting the suburbs, helping to realize the latent demand and potential for inclusive places and placemaking amongst the American land use pattern most ready for adaptation and reinvention."
- Ethan Kent, Placemaking X

News

Relational Design for Sustainability in US Suburbs 

Cumulus, Design for Adaptation
May 2023

How Aurora, Colorado is using mobile ‘public spaces’ to address the challenges of suburban social service delivery

Brookings, Erica Dorn
January 11, 2022

Civic Mobility and Suburban Futures

Design in Transition/Diseño en Transición, Podcast
January 11, 2022

  • Emerging Suburb Futures Session

  • Yimbytown 2022

  • Making Cities Livable

Watch to learn more...

Suburb Futures is project initiated by Erica Dorn through her doctoral work in Transition Design at Carnegie Mellon University.

Suburb Futures is a fiscally sponsored project of The Good Work Institute (GWI). GWI is a worker self-directed nonprofit organization, based in the Mahicantuck / Hudson Valley of New York. GWI cultivates and supports a diverse network of people, initiatives, and organizations committed to Good Work, in order to foster and collectively manifest regenerative, just, and life-affirming communities.

Thank you to our supporters Humanity In Action, Alfred Landecker Foundation, and Carnegie Mellon University School of Design.

Cover photo adapted from Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite, "A thousand or more protesters marched onto I-25 during a series of rallies demanding justice for Elijah McClain. June 27, 2020", used with permission."