The urban 'dog leg' is an under-used arrangement, I reckon. Here's a nice one in Durand Gardens, Stockwell: note the house wedged into the angle. It's a delight to walk around this corner: there is some rat running but the acute change in direction does seem to deter drivers. And the people at Space Syntax insist that their urban … Continue reading Dog legs
Category: Green belt
Building in the green belt: 3
One archetype of desirable urban life is found in the urban village. This conception of place in the city owes much to Jane Jacobs but is also seen in i.e. Abercrombie's 1943 analysis of London's neighbourhoods. The urban village typically has two faces: the high street face, and the 'countryside', or park face. I argue that both are fundamental. Ideally, … Continue reading Building in the green belt: 3
Building in the green belt: 2
The challenge of building in the green belt is typological: we may know that we want to live there, but in what sort of dwelling? The promise of living at the city edge is space: traditionally this has meant houses; detached or semi-detached, each with a private garden. The price of this model is low … Continue reading Building in the green belt: 2
Building in the green belt: 1
This is a post in two parts. In this first part, I'll set out some reasons for considering green belt development. In the second part, which will follow (eventually), I'll describe a test case proposal for a specific green belt site. Introduction People have made good arguments for developing some of London’s green belt as housing. … Continue reading Building in the green belt: 1
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