Introduction
Methodology
A Brief History of Northfield
Neighborhood Structure
*Changes in Neighborhood Structure
*Shift in Architectural Focus
*Porches
*Garages
Northfield Sense of Community
Conclusions
Works Cited
Acknowledgements
When cars were novelties, garages appeared
as backyard outbuildings;
as cars became household fixtures, they attached themselves to the
sides of
houses; and as families acquired whole fleets of vehicles, garages
moved to the
front. Along the way, garages doubled
or tripled in size; now they can be the most dominant visual element of
a
houses façade or an entire streetscape.”
–Todd W.
Bressi, The New Urbanism:
Towards an Architecture of Community, p. xxvi
It is quite obvious that the garage has taken the place of the porch as the most noticeable exterior feature on the fronts of newer homes; this transition has caused newer developments to resemble something known as “garagescapes” to the New Urbanists (Constantine and Looney 5). Although, attached garages are easy to see as ugly, they are at times in some places, such as Minnesota in January, more than convenient. When buying a home in such a region, it’s easy to understand why someone faced with the task of carrying bags of groceries over sheer ice in negative degree temperature would be favor an attached garage over an open-air porch.
But the
question at hand is, while the garage has assumed
the physical space that was once filled by the front porch, has it also
taken
on that element of “in-betweeness?”
Many would argue no, as the garage is seen as little more
than a
glorified storage space (Constantine and Looney 5).
However, Steve Edwin points out that the garage can fill
some of
the community roles that the porch once did, serving as a makeshift
outdoor
pavilion. Steve used the example of
high school graduation parties in Northfield, on such occasions cars
are moved
out of the garage, so tables may be set up for food, chairs are set
there to
take advantage of the shade, and the space is also utilized as shelter
in case
of inclement weather. Therefore,
garages can be used as a space to promote interaction within the public
realm,
but it is not likely to do so on a daily basis as a porch has the
potential to
do. In fact, he makes the argument that
any structure or space located at the front of the house can be used
serve
in-between space and are effective in promoting interaction with the
public
realm. Allen Thein Durning explores
this use of an alternative in-between space when he expresses the
effects a
basketball hoop that he put up on their garage has on the whole
community. “When we were looking for
housing, we had
wanted a front porch big enough to sit on.
We did not find one, but the basketball court performed
some of the same
function (273).”
Use of driveway in front of garage for basketball hoop as a means of
promoting
Whatever structure takes place at the front of
neighborhood
interaction
the house can serve as in-between space