Alright, let's call it like it is. Most of America’s built environment is, well, pretty ugly. Strip malls, gas stations, car washes, and parking lots.

We took a bad idea and said, "Yeah, let’s do that everywhere."

And we didn't just stop there. We exported this model globally. We may have given the world Taylor Swift and Star Wars, but we also gave them the suburban sprawl as the ultimate American dream.

Not our best work.

Reversing it all feels like trying to shove toothpaste back into the tube. America is the third largest country by area, and a huge chunk of it is covered in these suburban patterns we’ve been developing for over 60 years. The logistics of a complete reset are mind-boggling, not to mention the astronomical costs. Perhaps we’re in too deep.

But what if we’re not? What if we could turn this ship around? What if we could innovate our way out of this mess and turn these scars into something to be proud of? What if the relics of the suburban experiment could become the raw material for a thriving, uniquely American urbanism?

America’s the land of the Extreme Home Makeover. The Fixer Upper. If Chip and Jo can turn broken barn wood into a sliding door, why can’t we make our gas stations and car washes into the proverbial kitchen tables of our next great places?

Tattooing Over Our Scars

The challenge in reshaping America’s built environment is not just the sprawling subdivisions we’ve built across the nation. It’s the rest of the suburban box set that comes with them: the gas stations, parking lots, etc.

Any sort of rebuild will require embracing these structures as raw material for innovation. These are the scars of our past, and it’s time to get the epic tattoo that makes us wear those scars with more confidence. We’ll carry these scars with us, but they’ll just look a little different.

What can it look like to give these places a second life, and integrate them into a new chapter?

Take a look at what Nomad Pizza did to a former car wash in Princeton, New Jersey:

What was once the literal life source for auto-centric design is now a sit-down restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating and a beautiful patio space. (Before some of you pounce, yes, there’s a parking lot. But progress is seldom made in one fell swoop.)

And it doesn't stop with gas stations. See what Miami, Florida did underpass park, The Underline. 120 acres of previously undesirable and unused land is now accessible to walk, bike, and more:

What about sterile big box retail stores and commercial strip malls? What if in a see of sprawling subdivisions, these became the first parts of town to become truly flourishing neighborhoods?

These transformations are not just about aesthetics. They bring tangible economic and social benefits. Revitalized spaces attract new businesses, create jobs, and increase property values. They foster community by providing places for people to gather, relax, and engage with their neighbors.

And building places we can be proud of doesn't require a blank canvas. While some of what we've done should stay in the past, much of it is known for. Our current cultural moment has depressed our belief in what this nation is capable of, but the opportunity is still there for the taking.

What if we could build an American urbanism that gives the playbook for undoing the suburban experiment around the world?

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