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Community by Design
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Sketch 6.22 (A) Structured orientation of buildings helps to instill a sense of order and neighborhood. (B) Community cneter and pool serve as a visual focal point and neighborhood activity center because of their prominent entrance location. (C) Central stormwater retention and walking path serve as neighborhood binding elements as well as site amenities.
lands are a haven for miscreants. On a more personal level, most sites are not organized in a fashion conducive to social contact between the residents, which can lead to a sense of alienation and solitude, the antithesis of community. TND ALTERNATIVE
An additional benefit of the aforementioned three organizing methods is that parking spaces need not be assigned by number, there being absolutely no question about which spaces are associated with which units: the structure of the layout defines the relationship. Likewise, careful building placement captures the surrounding ground area, thus enhancing the sense of ownership for that area by the residents. Creating subareas or clusters of buildings within the overall site plan is an effective method to reinforce this sense of responsibility. If a person has a feeling of ownership for an area, that person is more likely to be concerned with its use and take a more active role in monitoring it. The one thing a troublemaker dislikes most is a set of inquisitive eyes.