Beautiful Places
Introduction
into the Traditional Neighborhood
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What is a beautiful place? When I ask people who prefer to live in a neighborhood
where they would like to live without regard to price, most people tell me that
they would like to live in a historic or older part of a city. When I ask them why, I get many answers, but
it all ties back to the fact that it is a beautiful place. If this is the preference of most people, why
is the market not recreating these beautiful places?
Most
neighborhoods of today are cul-de-sac neighborhoods. These are neighborhoods where the roads are
cut in to maximize exposure to the lots.
The lots typically range from ½ acre to 2 acres and are 100-150ft wide
by 200-300+ft deep. Most of these
neighborhoods have no public spaces, greenways, waterways or walking
paths. When the neighborhood is
developed most or all the trees are cut down and replaced by minimal lot
landscaping that is required by the mortgage company. There are no architectural standards or a
review board to ensure continuity within the community. Most houses have their garage jutting out of
the front of the house, which is the main architectural feature. The neighborhood merely exists to house
families, but does not celebrate the strong tie that humans have to their
architecture.
This
was not the case 100+ years ago. So when
did the transition take place? Well,
there are many theories as to why this happened. Steve Mouzon, founder of The New Urban Guild, states,
“The
Most-Loved Places around the world almost always are strongly based on the
vernacular architecture of their regions.
In most cases, they actually define the vernacular architecture of their
regions. Yet the architecture of the
past century has largely refused to recognize this connection. As a result, the means and methods of the
creation of places today are largely divorced from those that created the
Most-Loved Places.”
What is the Vernacular? Merriam·Webster defines vernacular as:
- of, relating to, or being the common
building style of a period or place
- the mode of expression of a group or
class
So, the vernacular architecture should reflect the regional group or
class of people. In fact, it should be
defined by the people. For example, in
One of the most important things we as designers, builders and
developers can do is to ask ourselves why we do what we do. Steve Mouzon has also coined this
phrase. We do this because... There should be an underlying reason why we
do what we do. Porches are placed on the
fronts of homes. We do this because it provides shade in the summer. It also allows people to engage their
neighbors. People seem more accessible
while sitting on the front porch. The
front porch contributes to a sense of community.
There is a movement gaining momentum across
A.
TND – A Mixed-Use
Community
The TND is more than just a neighborhood. Within a TND, the neighborhood is more of a
self-sustaining village. There are areas
of public space and private space.
In today’s neighborhood, if one wanted to pick up a loaf of bread or
rent a movie, one would have to get into the car, drive 10+ minutes to or
across town, get the item, and drive back.
This is illogical on many accounts.
It is time-consuming, inconvenient and wastes energy, not to mention, adds to the congestion on
roadways and wear-and-tear on the car.
The TND is based on the mixed-use concept. In a traditional town, there are three areas
of spaces.
1.
Public Secular – examples are the post office, local eatery, & gym
2.
Public Sacred – examples are a church or synagogue
3.
Private Secular – the primary residence of a family
If one wanted to buy a newspaper in a TND, one could walk or ride a bike
to the village center. This promotes
energy conservation, exercise, and community interaction. Along the way, one would see and hear things
within the community that would normally not be heard in a car or truck.
Village centers-We do
this because it reduces trafficked areas, promotes community interaction,
conserves energy, and provides convenience for residents.
B.
TND - A Community that
Lives with Nature
One of the most discouraging sites to see as a designer is a cul-de-sac
neighborhood where all trees have been cut down or driving by a wooded area one
day only to see that big machines are clear-cutting several acres for a future
neighborhood development. Trees are a
wonderful way to develop a community. It
is a soft transition from the house to the outside world. It also helps contribute to the Green
movement. I have never understood why
20+ year old trees would be cut down only to be replaced by a single five foot
tree in the middle of the front yard.
With a TND, the only trees and foliage that are initially removed are
the ones required to for roads and utilities.
Vacant lots are left for the builder to develop. A local set of rules should be developed that
restricts the cutting of trees. Trees
provide shade in the summer, a buffer from the cold in the winter, and provide
oxygen. It blends in with the community. They contribute to greenways and parks. They encourage wildlife to cohabitate with
humans.
In addition to maintaining as many trees as possible, TNDs have smaller
lots. This allows the developer to
provide parks, nature walks and outdoor public spaces. The residents have smaller lots to maintain,
and with a small parkway fee, the public grounds get maintained by
landscapers. If the site has a natural
waterway, these spaces are made into public spaces. In today’s neighborhoods, waterfront property
is enjoyed by a privileged few. These
lots are sold at a premium. In a TND,
the waterfront is public space, which increases the value of all of the lots by
a small margin because all residents in the TND can enjoy the waterfront.
Maintain trees, public
parks and waterways-We do this because it promotes the well-being of the
community, allows humans to interact with nature, and helps with Green issues.
C.
TND – Lot Sizes based on
a Grid System
One of the main concerns with neighborhoods today is sprawl. This is where open land continues to be
developed without a central plan. As a
result, neighborhoods continue to “leap” away from the city’s urban core and
county utilities. Some N.C. counties are
dealing with this now with their population explosion. Instead of formulating a master plan for
urban-type development, some county planners want to increase the size of lots
to two acres in an attempt to correct the traffic issues. This is exactly opposite to what the planners
should be looking at. They should be
planning tight, efficient TNDs with self-sustaining public spaces. If these counties implement the two-acre
plan, it will tax the public resources such as water, sewer, law enforcement
and rescue. Short of stopping
development, the county cannot solve the problem by legislating sprawl. Imagine a handful of neighborhoods going to
two acre lots? How far out would the
outer neighborhoods be from county services?
Cul-de-sac neighborhood roads meander back and forth to try and maximize
lot density. But then the planners turn
around and develop ½+ acre lots. This is
what causes sprawl. Moreover, the lots
are typically 100+ feet wide by 200+ feet deep.
The house that sits on the lot is typically wider than it is deeper; a
deep lot with a wide house. This is poor
planning, and I will be the first to admit that many of my past designs are
guilty of this rationale.
By providing lots that are narrower and deeper with houses that are
narrow and deep, the land is utilized more efficiently, there is less for the
homeowner to maintain, the density naturally goes up, and the grid system of
streets give a sense of placement in the village, making navigation easier when
coming in and out of the village.
In a larger village, street grids and lot sizes would provide a sense of
location and placement for guests coming into and leaving the village. By providing alleys, most on-street parking
is eliminated, aiding in law enforcement and rescue operations. With narrower streets, traffic is slowed,
allowing children to play and ride bikes.
Parks also provide a place for children to play without the worry of
vehicular accidents. Alleys allow
traffic to flow into main streets without having to back out from a garage or
driveway. These smaller lots allow an
increase in profitability for the developer, which helps to offset costs in
paving and initial landscaping. Lots are
easier to maintain by the homeowner, yet the public parks are accessible for
all village residents.
As the TND grows, it provides and supports commercial spaces, further
reducing the need for vehicular travel.
Smaller lots designed
around a street grid system-We do this because it increases profitability by
increasing density, provides parks and greenways, provides areas for a village center, and reduces lot maintenance.
D.
Wrapping Up
TNDs are an old-new concept. We
had lost this concept, but are now rediscovering and creating new beautiful
places. When I saw for myself how some
developers had recreated an old neighborhood, similar to what you would find in
a Charleston Battery Park area or a New Orleans Garden District, I became
excited. The concept is simple and
elegant. It plays into the “We do this
because...” scenario. There is more
profit potential for the developer and builder, but more than that, we are
creating beautiful neighborhoods that will be around for at least 100
years. We are giving back to the public
realm. We are taking a piece of land and
creating something special that will be treasured and admired for generations.
I encourage the
builders/developers to visit Habersham
in Beaufort, S.C., I’On in Mt.
Pleasant, S.C., or Devaun Park in
Calabash, N.C. I truly believe in this
concept, and I have tried to share what I have read and observed, but until you
see it first hand, it is hard to describe the beauty and simplicity of the TND. You have to experience it for yourself...
meet the people, drive the roads, stop in the center for a beverage. This is a concept that was lost 75 years ago
and is now coming back to replace the standard cul-de-sac neighborhood.
I believe the village
concept can make a comeback. I can see a
day where neighbors stop to talk to one another while rocking on the front
porch, kids can play safely on the streets and parks, families gather at the
village core for a concert or a festival.
I can see a day where we embrace our past and look to the future to recreate
the most beautiful places on earth via the traditional neighborhood
development.
Sincerely,
Todd Tucker
Professional Member AIBD