Above and Beyond: Visualizing Change in Small Towns and Rural Areas

Above and Beyond takes an aerial view to conclusively demonstrate how suburban sprawl is forever changing the look of America—and how that can be avoided. Alex MacLean's photographs—many of them combined with computer simulations to illustrate how landscapes are transformed over time—show how traditional development patterns produce more compact cities and towns. In conjunction, the authors introduce communities that have successfully fought sprawl, invigorated their town areas, and overcome the car-culture mentality of sprawl development. The case they make, and the examples they offer, will inspire planners, officials, and concerned citizens everywhere.

Elizabeth Humstone is Executive Director of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, in Burlington, Vermont.