Amanda Kolson Hurley
The article discusses garden cities and garden suburbs: communities designed with large living spaces and ecologically friendly construction with community ownership and a lack of socioeconomic segregation. An increase in popularity in the style is discussed in places such as China. The claimed advantages of garden cities are discussed, including sustainability, higher quality of living, and preservation of green space. Existing garden cities and suburbs such as Forest Hills, New York, and the planned Heart of Lake project in Xiamen, China by architect Robert Stern and his architectural firm are examined. Criticisms of the Heart of Lake project are also discussed including the difficulties of socioeconomic balance in the communities and China's urban planning and construction industries.