Contemporary Community Design: The Subdivision Model

Design Contemporary Community Design

The Subdivision Model

by Don Westphal and Emeka Nnadi

IIn our practice as Landscape Architects, we plan residential subdivisions in addition to manufactured housing communities. We find similarities between the successful examples of both housing types in several areas: Creative planning, Recognition of existing site features, Home selection for curb appeal, Project imaging, and Landscaping.

Creative planning and Recognition of existing site conditions go hand-in-hand. Plans that grow out of the land are not only more interesting but also less costly to build. Two examples of this are illustrated here. Oakland Hunt, a subdivision planned with recognition of the woodlands and wetlands, has a curvilinear street pattern and maximizes the value of adjacent open space to neighboring homesites. The Land Lease community, Woodcreek, was similarly planned. Preservation of the wetlands and woodlands on site there dictated the layout of streets and lots. Many of the homesites back up to environmental areas and add to the value of the individual sites. Preservation of these valuable natural resources assisted in the zoning and site plan approval process of both projects.

Home selection for curb appeal played a significant role in the success of both projects. Proper treatment of the home as »

viewed from the street is an effective way to improve the project image. Side entry garages in subdivisions helped to shift emphasis from the garage to the front door of the home. The simple trick of matching the garage door color to the siding color in manufactured homes with garages is effective. Specifying homes with attractive street faces, windows, shutters, dormers, and eyebrow roofs rather than blank vinyl walls is a simple, but effective, appearance upgrade.

Project Imaging begins at the entrance to the community. Naming of the project should be done early on in the design phase of development. Creating an effective name reflective of the location, of pleasant surroundings, or a sense of community. We are particularly critical of attaching estates to the name. Since when is a 4,500 square foot lot an estate? Landscaping, lighting, and fencing can extend the image beyond the entry sign. The use of materials, colors, and lettering styles throughout the community are effective ways to enhance the image. Last, but not least, a very important element in creating a desirable image is landscaping. Often overlooked in land-lease communities, subdivision developers have used this method to create a desirable appearance from the first sale and will do so well into the future. Proper landscape plantings, installed early in the building process will be working for the developer 24/7 and improving

with age. This is important not only for the community but also for the individual homes. Street trees planted on the lots after the home is installed grow to become a welcomed, shade producing asset. Many older subdivisions and manufactured home communities with tree-lined streets are a testament to the benefits of early planting programs. Requirements for even minimum landscaping on individual homesites as part of the sales package, or requirements and guidelines for community living are essential to the long-term appearance of the project and add to the pride of ownership.

Each manufactured home community that follows the successful subdivision image model goes a long way toward improving the overall image of our industry. MHV

Donald C. Westphal, Associates, LLC, winner of 7 Community of the Year Awards, has a 50 year history of planning great Manufactured Communities and is still enthusiastically serving the industry. Learn more at www.dcwestphal.com.

Emeka Nnadi is a landscape architect and the founder of Nadi Design and The Nadi Group consulting on urban design and planning for organizations and governments. He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Enugu State University of Technology in Nigeria and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Manitoba.