We'll grant you. It's a pretty easy topic to rip on.
Thankfully there are visionaries like Taz Loomans who shun this cliché in favor of a more constructive approach.
Her blog, Blooming Rock, seeks to inspire individuals to think critically about the spaces they inhabit, and reflect upon their footprint on what she calls the larger urban fabric of our desert home.
Taz is an architect and writer who thinks critically about the use of Phoenix city space and presents a sustainable, community-oriented alternative for what our urban experience could be.
On a small scale this includes how-to blog posts for creating a more sustainable living space through eco-friendly green renovations -- from appliance trade-ins to jumping on the solar bandwagon. On a larger scale she dissects trends in urban development and blogs about her personal fave, Mid-Century Modern Design.
With blog posts like "Empty Retail Stores: Turning a Plague into an Opportunity" and "The Life That's Passing Phoenix by As We Sit in Our Cars" it's clear she has a strong point of view regarding what's in the best interest of this urban oasis.
She says her vision for long term community development would be to "increase the density of the urban core" so that people have greater opportunities for chance encounters with others in public spaces.
Plus she thinks that we should all get over the whole newer is better attitude by renovating and rehabilitating existing buildings instead of tearing down and building anew.
From her revitalized 1960's duplex, she addresses these issues with the support of her husband Paul and three cats, Reggie, Bamboo, and Bumper. If her beautiful duplex is any indication of just how good this whole renovation thing can be, we're on board!
