Suburbia

From March 5 to August 4, 2025, the Architekturzentrum Wien in Vienna will host the exhibition "Suburbia: Building the American Dream." This exhibition delves into the imagery of the idyllic family home and how this lifestyle has been promoted and solidified through fiction and the entertainment industry. It traces the origins of suburban neighborhoods in the 19th century, analyzes their massive expansion in the 1950s, and examines the economic, political, and social contexts that enabled their unstoppable rise in the United States.

At a time when many families were seeking their own version of the suburban dream on urban peripheries, the exhibition highlights the contradictions of an urban planning model designed to perpetuate social, ethnic, and gender segregation. While the ideal of the house with a pool remains prevalent and has been exported globally, the impact of this model—based on car dependency and unsustainable practices—is undeniable, with similar developments emerging in Europe, such as in the outskirts of Barcelona or Madrid.

Through an extensive historical archive that includes documentaries, photographs, paintings, films, series, novels, magazines, artworks, and everyday objects, the exhibition transports visitors to the "mental paradise" of the suburb. At the same time, it invites reflection on the value of the city and public space today, in light of the challenges posed by more sustainable and equitable urban planning.