Pocket neighborhood
Encyclopedia
A pocket neighborhood is a grouping of smaller residences, often around a courtyard
or common garden, designed to promote a close knit sense of community
and neighborliness with an increased level of contact. Considerations involved in planning and zoning
pocket neighborhoods include reducing or segregating parking and roadways, the use of shared communal areas that promote social activities, and homes with smaller square footage built in close proximity to one another (high density). Environmental considerations
often play a role in the planning of pocket neighborhoods, and those advocating them promote their design as an alternative to the sprawl
, isolation, expense, and commuter and automobile focus of many larger homes in suburban developments
.
Boston
's pocket neighborhood of Audubon Circle added 20 sculpted
bird silhouette
s over one of the city's busiest intersections to "beautify and define" the area. A small neighborhood in Fife
limited commercial development in a pocket neighborhood of 12 homes built in the 1930s. A grouping of three houses in Duluth, Minnesota
, designed by architect David Salmela, adopts the "Scandinavia
n tradition of pocket neighborhood" using common style and appearance for the homes and a central courtyard to enhance views and neighborly contact. A planned pocket neighborhood on 3.7 acres (14,973.4 m²) in Beloit, Wisconsin
was designed to include geothermal heating and cooling and is a sustainable development
that will use a common road at the back of the homes, geothermal energy, and a community tea garden
, while limiting the need to remove existing oak trees on the property.
Outside Seattle, architect Ross Chapin designed a pocket neighborhood of modest 650–1600 sq ft (60.4–148.6 m2) cottages. Chapin first partnered with The Cottage Company founder Jim Soules on the Third Street Cottages development near Puget Sound
, where zoning allowed for double density housing "if the homes were limited to 975 square feet". Soules said a pocket neighborhood is "a group of homes that face and relate to one another around a landscaped common area- the old bungalow
court approach."
Features in the smaller homes are designed to maximize space and can use built in shelves and porch areas, encouraging time spent outside with a focal point around a greenspace
(instead of parking areas). Other projects include Conover Commons in Redmond, Washington
, Greenwood Avenue Cottages in Shoreline, Washington
, Danielson Grove in Kirkland, Washington
, Umatilla Hill in Port Townsend, Washington
and Salish Pond in Gresham, Oregon
. The smaller homes are more affordable to maintain and keep up, and cooperation can be a benefit when it comes to watching children and pets.
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
or common garden, designed to promote a close knit sense of community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
and neighborliness with an increased level of contact. Considerations involved in planning and zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
pocket neighborhoods include reducing or segregating parking and roadways, the use of shared communal areas that promote social activities, and homes with smaller square footage built in close proximity to one another (high density). Environmental considerations
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
often play a role in the planning of pocket neighborhoods, and those advocating them promote their design as an alternative to the sprawl
Sprawl
Sprawl can refer to:*Sprawl , a defensive technique in wrestling and martial arts used to prevent a takedown.*Urban sprawl, also called suburban sprawl...
, isolation, expense, and commuter and automobile focus of many larger homes in suburban developments
SubUrbia
subUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
.
Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's pocket neighborhood of Audubon Circle added 20 sculpted
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
bird silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
s over one of the city's busiest intersections to "beautify and define" the area. A small neighborhood in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
limited commercial development in a pocket neighborhood of 12 homes built in the 1930s. A grouping of three houses in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, designed by architect David Salmela, adopts the "Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n tradition of pocket neighborhood" using common style and appearance for the homes and a central courtyard to enhance views and neighborly contact. A planned pocket neighborhood on 3.7 acres (14,973.4 m²) in Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
was designed to include geothermal heating and cooling and is a sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
that will use a common road at the back of the homes, geothermal energy, and a community tea garden
Tea garden
Tea garden may refer to:* Roji, gardens surrounding Japanese tea houses and which form part of the architecture associated with Japanese tea ceremony* Tea plantations, where tea bushes are cultivated...
, while limiting the need to remove existing oak trees on the property.
Outside Seattle, architect Ross Chapin designed a pocket neighborhood of modest 650–1600 sq ft (60.4–148.6 m2) cottages. Chapin first partnered with The Cottage Company founder Jim Soules on the Third Street Cottages development near Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, where zoning allowed for double density housing "if the homes were limited to 975 square feet". Soules said a pocket neighborhood is "a group of homes that face and relate to one another around a landscaped common area- the old bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
court approach."
Features in the smaller homes are designed to maximize space and can use built in shelves and porch areas, encouraging time spent outside with a focal point around a greenspace
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
(instead of parking areas). Other projects include Conover Commons in Redmond, Washington
Redmond, Washington
Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
, Greenwood Avenue Cottages in Shoreline, Washington
Shoreline, Washington
Shoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....
, Danielson Grove in Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
, Umatilla Hill in Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...
and Salish Pond in Gresham, Oregon
Gresham, Oregon
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 90,205 people, 33,327 households, and 22,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,071.6 people per square mile . There were 35,309 housing units at an average density of 1,593.8 per square mile...
. The smaller homes are more affordable to maintain and keep up, and cooperation can be a benefit when it comes to watching children and pets.