Of Woonerfs

We might have just put a row of townhouses facing Jean Street and a row of townhouses facing Berry Street, with an alley in between. In fact, early on we did. But that piece of paper we promptly wadded up and tossed in the recycling bin.

That could have made for some perfectly suitable houses. Yet we wanted much more out of the site. First, we needed to show a neighborly face to Nash Street, our most visible side. Second, we wanted to create shared spaces inviting interaction. Places where neighbors would want to linger. To chat (IRL). To connect.

Bergen, Norway example of “living street” zone

The Dutch woonerf provided inspiration for how we might accomplish both of these objectives on a compact, urban site. Woonerfs are “living streets,” where vehicles are permitted, and people living life are prioritized. (My passport has yet to be stamped in the Netherlands. I snapped this photo in Norway. Didn’t happen to be anyone there at the time, but the sign tells the story.) We could accommodate vehicle access to garages and visitor parking, while also providing an attractive shared outdoor living space.

We played around with different site arrangements, none of them feeling quite right. Then came the “eureka moment,” courtesy of Nick, the project architect. What if the north side private fire lane were also treated like a street for architectural purposes? In other words, let’s not ignore any of our sides. Let’s create engaging streetscapes all around, in addition to the shared living space in the middle of the site!

From this idea, Nick devised the pinwheel pattern of four townhome blocks, connecting outward with the neighborhood on all four sides, while also welcoming people into a shared courtyard living space from all sides. This is what I call the genius of the site plan.

Nash & Berry site plan

More to come on the courtyard in future posts.