Pocket Neighborhoods: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Full Circle
By Scott Girard, DIRECTOR OF IMAGINALITY™
BUNGALOW COURTS: Part of Saint Francis Court designed by Sylvanus Marston. (Courtesy of the Archives, Pasadena Museum of History)
Historical Background
The current idea of the pocket neighborhood is a modernized version of the bungalow courts first built in Pasadena, CA, in the early 20th century. The city’s first bungalow court was Saint Francis Court designed by Sylvanus Marston and built in 1909. Developed from 1909 through 1942, the bungalow court was viewed as a regional type of low-density multi-family housing that combined the individual privacy of a single residence with shared community space. Experiencing a renaissance, this type of design provides a creative means for many neighborhoods to adapt traditional designs to more modern uses.
Why Pocket Neighborhoods Today?
DESIGN OPTIONS: Pocket neighborhoods provide opportunities to experiment with various layouts and design elements.
Creating pocket neighborhoods with small lots allows more compact development, which uses land efficiently and can offer greater access to amenities. Living in smaller homes requires more places to go to get out of the house, so residents tend to spend more time socializing with neighbors.
Residents may also enjoy a smaller mortgage, with the option to enhance their home by selecting higher-end finishes. Then there’s the increasing value of these small homes. For example, The Third Street Cottages in Langley, WA, the first of the pocket neighborhoods, have resold for as much as 250 percent of their original price, proving their enduring appeal and value.
A newer pocket neighborhood currently under construction in my own community here in Auburn, AL is The Yards at National Village. This pocket neighborhood has been designed and marketed as weekend ‘game day’ homes, with neighboring Auburn University and its diverse athletic programs a popular draw in the southeast.
Pocket neighborhoods feed into our recent fascination with sustainability because they meet the needs of communities that wish to increase density and reform land use patterns without losing the feel of a single-family community. The pocket neighborhood’s smaller homes of today also reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through the use of passive solar energy, low water-use fixtures, and the abundance of vegetation in these communities found in the interior courtyard, personal gardens and surrounding open space. In addition, the demographic shift toward smaller households through the senior market’s interest for ‘downsizing’ and the rise in single-person households is driving a need for a more diverse housing stock that includes small homes.
Design elements of a pocket neighborhood
DESIGN OPTIONS: Courtyards are smaller spaces with personality that can easily be modeled during the conceptual phase and can be both unique and add an element of cohesiveness to a neighborhood. Image © 2020 BSA PlaceCreation.
Pocket neighborhoods tend to consist of about 12 homes that all face a common area that residents must walk through to access their front door. Parking for these homes is located in groupings on the exterior of the pocket, hidden from view and accessed via a walkway, or located behind the homes and accessed via alleyways.
Pocket neighborhood homes generally include outdoor areas of private space through side, rear and front gardens, which separate the homes from the common area while also helping frame the common area. Each home includes a front porch, from which residents may enjoy the common area while still maintaining some privacy. The common area may include amenities such as community gardens, a play space or an outdoor fire pit for resident’s use and enjoyment.
COTTAGE COURTS: No matter the name, pocket neighborhoods provide an opportunity for increased community involvement and building a sense of place. Image © Ross Chapin Architect from the CNU article by Robert Steuteville.
It is important to include a common building for use by all residents. A common building fully equipped with a kitchenette, areas for exercise classes, and a common tool/gardening shed can increase the livability and marketability of these neighborhoods. Smaller footprint living does not eliminate the need to entertain guests, enjoy an outdoor BBQ, or utilize other amenities typically available in a larger home setting.
New or old, the pocket neighborhood is an efficient and sustainable idea that is standing the test of time. From the viewpoints of planning, lifestyle, aesthetics, community, and environment (P.L.A.C.E.), pocket neighborhoods encourage innovation and are adaptable to almost any situation.
Scott is a coach and mentor for the planning and design staff at PLACECreation, a group of landscape architects and planners focused on enhancing well-being through the timeless design of sustainable outdoor spaces. He maintains a keen eye toward constructibility and ongoing maintenance considerations – all while not compromising creativity.