Socioeconomic and Spatial Polarization in Megacities- Transnational Landscapes and Ecologies

In the World City Syndrome by David McDonald, a major point that connects urban theory into the spatial realm is the idea of income disparities leading into socioeconomic and spatial polarization, translating as a work-space polarization we see in gentrified urban living spaces in central business districts (McDonald). The relationship of economy, user and space conglomerate and result in homogenized, designed spaces tailored to the transnational elite with its live, network and play themes.

Because the infrastructure exists, it doesn't mean it is accessible. I believe that along with architecture, landscape architecture is also experiencing a homogenization of urban public green spaces that exacerbate the inequality evident in the spatial form, alienating and polarizing the non-elite. These exportable architecture and landscapes creates a sameness within business districts across world cities, cities competing and cooperating with a similar aesthetic and program.

Running along with the –trans prefix, from transnational elites to transnational relationships to now transnational ecologies. In the emerging urban ecological landscape, an oversimplification of infrastructural systems have resulted in a loss of native ecosystems like plants, habitat and wildlife. With the homogenization of transnational landscapes, the embedded ecologies are oversimplified as well, evidenced in homogenized single-species row planting in corporate office landscapes lacking a diversified plant palette and overall habitat and human diversity. Similar issues of local disconnections arise, with developing projects as floating islands of urban elite paradise surrounded by periphery slum presence.