I’ve been searching for an article I remember reading about a small, 2-3 acre development made up of small, affordable, cottage style homes. Anybody recall? It may have been 7 or 8 years back–something like that? Thanks.
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Was it Seaside? (little houses, sort of Victorian with white picket fences around each one?) I don't remember which issue, but maybe having a name will help.
I remember the article too, but can't put a name to it. The development was on some small island somewhere or something like that? Cottages facing a common 'village green' with driveways and access road all at the back/exterior of the area. Had its own daycare/preschool/community hall building too; the whole thing designed to be family friendly....
Seems to me it was about 5 years back.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
Yes, what you're describing sounds like the article they did on a co-housing community somewhere on the East Coast, I think. I was thinking of a different article: It was a bunch of very small, well built homes, nicely landscaped on about 3 acres (I think Danno is right about their having white picket fences and steep roofs). Thanks for the response!Edited 8/21/2008 6:45 pm ET by mwright123
Edited 8/21/2008 6:59 pm ET by mwright123
Here it is:
http://www.rosschapin.com/Projects/PocketNeighborhoods/ThirdStreetCottages/ThirdStreet.htmlThat's not the article, just the architect's web page for the development. Susanka's "Creating the Not So Big House" book features it on page 223. I thought I saw it in F.H., but maybe I'm wrong... ??
I think that storey WAS in FH, The idea always interested me, but never thought they would sell in my market.
This one perhaps ?
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/articles/palnning-deliberate-neighborhoods.aspx?ac=fp
I can't find it in an article search, but here's the story from the source:
http://www.rosschapin.com/Projects/PocketNeighborhoods/ThirdStreetCottages/ThirdStreet.html
Ross Chapin was one of the feature vspeakers at the Northwest Eco Building Guild retreat a couple years ago. Really a visionary. Very nice man, too.
A friend of mine is talking about giving up her design practice and throwing in with him to get an eco building school off the ground - a place to teach eco friendly building.
I'd attend, if they ever get it up and operational.
He has influenced me. The article on the Third Street Cottages, and the co-housing article by the South Mountain Company guy on Martha's Vineyard, got me thinking in a good direction.
The eco building school sounds a bit like the Yestermorrow School in VT.
Yeah, he's very well know in these parts. Something a little disturbing to me about those little planned communities, kind of all seems like it could lead to a coreographed way of living or something, but I'm fully on board with the "small is beautiful" bandwagon.
I'd say the vast majority of people can see another house from their house, if not several. That's the thing that I would have to adjust to more than the fact that we shared a back yard or community garden or something.
Yeah, it is a little "Truman Show"-ish. Your little fixer-upper would blend right in there though!
To me it's not necessarily that everyone needs to live in tiny boxes in a city, but more that not everyone can live on 15 acres in the country. We all have to do our part to reduce our footprint. People who can stand to live that close, should. Others should grow their own food, support local organic farmers, use less water--whatever they can to reduce their consumption and add to the community.
It's also nice that it really seems to be a community. I could see living pretty close to friends, reminds me of college, but here I could throw a baseball and hit quite a few houses but I don't know anyones first AND last names... I'd give up a little space to live closer to my buddies, or just people I had things in common with....
Don't remember this in the mag -- but I do think I recall Bahb Villa covering it in one of his TV shows.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA