Dean Terry is the chair of the online worlds lab in the arts and technology department. But that didn't keep him from exploring communities in the physical world.
The forum for his study is film. And his subject is the modern subdivision in the United States.
Terry's documentary, called "Subdivided: Isolation and Community in America," was aired on KERA, the local Public Broadcasting Service channel Jan. 3 and Jan 9. In the film, Terry reaches out to experts of modern community and infrastructure for answers to questions raised about his experiences while living in Dallas suburb.
In an attempt to find an alternative community to the modern subdivision, Terry observes his hometown neighborhood, Little Forest Hills, which has about 1,000 homes and is located east of White Rock Lake, according to neighborhoodlink.com.
Little Forest Hill is portrayed in the film as nostalgic, eclectic and tight-knit - the kind of community ideal for creating social capital between its inhabitants.
Terry notices, in the film, that one of his neighbors goes out of his way to avoid Terry's greetings while mowing his lawn.
Dramatizations of events Terry witnessed in his subdivision that shed light on the true nature of many in the suburbs - that they isolate people from one another because they are designed only to provide easy access to and from work, school and leisure establishments.
Although subdivisions are created with convenient traffic flow in mind, "Subdivided" explains that long distances and drive times between home and work or school increases the sense of isolation many Americans have today.
Images of Little Forest Hills focus on the odd and "funky" decorations on people's homes. One resident says he likes the decorations because they wrap around entire houses and give each a distinct identity. Several others interviewed in the film explain the personal importance of a strong, active community.
By shifting back and forth between generic-looking subdivisions in the D/FW Metroplex and Little Forest Hills, Terry asserts the need for further examination of U.S. suburban communities.
He also explains why neighborhoods look the way they do today.
Experts in the film attribute the design of subdivisions to the efficient design practices of traffic engineers of the 1950s. They valued safety and maximization of land usage far from large cities over traditional community design. Traditional designs include cafes, other social hangout areas and schools - all within walking distance.
Andres Duany, award-winning community designer said that many parks and exercise trails near modern neighborhoods are unused, except for exercise, because they do not connect different portions of the communities they are in.
But instead of scolding subdivision inhabitants, Terry offers hope of achieving strong community by suggesting that many housing developers actually want to create neighborhoods with the potential for strong community.
Throughout the film, ground-level and aerial images of subdivisions near the Plano water tower are shown in a way that helps the casual viewer turn a critical eye on the effects of efficient, automobile-friendly neighborhoods. Along with the dismal images of cookie-cutter homes with tall fences, Terry shows statistics about the changes in communities within the 20th century.
The film received mixed reviews on Frisco-Online Community Talk Forums at frisco-online.com. But the film's website hosts many positive responses from others concerned about the disappearance of traditional communities.
Overall, Terry's film opens the door for critical examination of life in U.S. suburbs and subdivisions and provides expert opinions that can inspire Americans to hope for a greater sense of connectedness as community design evolves - or devolves.
