The "Aerotropolis"

Here is an interesting article about the future of city development.

The article discusses a book by John Kasarda, a university professor, called “Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next.”  The main argument he makes is that instead of airports being built in already established cities, airports themselves will become the center of city development.  I find this a very fascinating idea. 

One example the article gives is of the cities of Louisville, Kentucky and Memphis Tennessee; these cities were generally in the decline until UPS and FedEx established them as hubs for the shipping operations.  This is an example of how technology (in this case transportation technology) continues to impact our society.

It’s important to note that the reason airports and their locations take such a precedent here in America is that air travel is the primary method of continental transportation.  Thousands of individuals take to the air every day and travel to many different cities and states.  In Europe, for example, air travel is certainly important but the extensive rail network makes it less so.  I think it would be interesting if this book addressed how the cultural differences will affect the “aerotropolis” theory.