Spaces to Places: Week 5

Malibu is famous for its "beach and vacation" culture.

Malibu, a region of Los Angeles sprawled out along 21 miles of the coastline, provides a perfect example of how automobility, radical individualism and post-Fordist capitalism has allowed decentralization and carceral enclaves in cities during the 4th urban revolution.

The city of Malibu's physical borders narrowly follow the four-lane CA-1 highway along the coast's beautiful beaches and rolling hills. Only Los Angeles's wealthiest elite can afford to live in this highly-desirable neighborhood. It's formed a carceral enclave by limiting physical access through urban design - there are no sidewalks and the only way to reach Malibu is by car along the CA-1 and very little (if any) public transportation is provided. Most of the houses are hidden away from the highway in the Malibu hills and appear "policed off" by hiding behind gated communities, lush landscapes, or high hills. It also follows the higher altitude = higher cost of housing pattern seen in modern cities.

This is a house in Malibu on the beach hidden from the road by lush landscape.

Malibu has very little public transportations or institutions - there isn't a central shopping center, hospital, or large business area - the entire area is only connected to the rest of the Los Angeles region by the four-lane highway. Without automobility of the 4th urban revolution, Malibu wouldn't be a desirable location to live because of its distance from the "center" where social institutions and transportation are provided. However since automobiles became individually owned and considered essential to modern living, the residents of Malibu have been able to embrace their own radical individualism create their own "beach and vacation" culture without having to worry about distance to the "center" of Los Angeles.