Good Urbanism – the alley
From an urban design point of view, this is a very successful street. The housing is varied enough to give visual interest to the pedestrian. But they are similar enough in scale and material to create a sense that the buildings belong together on the street. The sidewalk is unbroken by driveways and curb cuts and the line of buildings is complete – there are no empty lots. Finally, the buildings have raised entrances and projecting staircases that create a buffer between the sidewalk and the building.
So, where do these residents park their cars? The answer is the alley.
This narrow street runs down the center of the block, parallel to the street in the picture above. This design separates the cars from the main street and places them into garages on a narrow street designed specifically for cars. Now, all of the curb cuts and garage doors can be placed along this alley without interfering with the pedestrians.
This layout has its roots in small city stables where the smell of horses could be physically separated from the living spaces of the house. However, this design grew less popular once the horse was replaced with the car. This is because once the car is parked, the driver has to exit the garage and cross the yard to enter the rear of the house. Despite the other problems that it creates, a garage integrated into the house eliminates this outdoor transition.
Tags: architecture, building, city, garages, new urbanism, street life, urban design, urbanism, walkable
