Buying the Neighborhood, not the House: How Community Starts with Design

Have you ever noticed some neighborhoods feel closer knit than others? Maybe it’s a group of kids playing in the street, folks working on their yard or neighbors stopping to chat while walking their dogs. It turns out, that sense of connection isn’t just luck – It’s design.

In most American neighborhoods, the line between “my space” and “your space” is often divided by a street or the fence. According to (Gallup, 2023), those living in suburbs of big cities report about 17% higher loneliness rates. Unless you have a Home Improvement-style relationship with your neighbor, most interactions usually occur either in front yards, or out on the street.

But when streets are car-dominated and overbuilt, as they often are in the American Sunbelt region, chance encounters between neighbors become scarcer. In result, suburban growth is projected to continue around most U.S. cities, and that trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Green Space as a Social Connector

Research has shown that access to green space influences social well-being. People who live in areas with less green space are more likely to report loneliness and a lack of social support (Maas et al., 2009). These findings suggest that how we design the next generation of suburbs could play a key role in solving the isolation and loneliness epidemic unfolding across the U.S.

That’s where park space as connective tissue between neighbors comes in – a proven strategy that TBG has employed for decades. As market trends shift towards smaller homes, buyers are more likely to, not the house. Access to parks, which serve as an extension of the yard – places where people naturally bump into one another – is becoming a hot commodity in new communities.

The “Green Street” Concept

The green street is a prime example of replacing what would have otherwise been a vehicular street dividing neighbors with a linear park of the same dimensions. Green Streets function as a park that both connects neighbors on the same block while welcoming residents from other parts of the neighborhood.

The small yard offered in today’s market often creates demand for a larger usable green space for activities. These linear parks are used for communal events such as weekend block parties, cookouts, and leisure sports. The remainder of the week, they function as a shared front yard for neighborhood kids to meet and play. The green street offers a softer alternative to typical American cul-de-sac. It provides that common ground, but through green space rather than pavement.

Shared Auto Courts and “Free-Range” Kids

Another emerging housing typology is the shared auto court. Instead of using an alley to access units, this uses a single driveway to serve 4-6 homes. This provides a park fronting edge, along with a shared internal driveway court, doubling the opportunity to use exterior space for homeowners. Free range kids are in, and these two spaces provide amble opportunities for kids to mingle.

Designing for Connection

Every neighborhood tells a story. Sometimes it’s one of quiet isolation, other times it’s one of laughter drifting across shared lawns. The difference often comes down to design – not the grand master plan, but the details at the block or street level.

As we reimagine the American suburb, the real question is simple: Are we designing for community? Because the future of suburban design may depend on our ability to bring people closer – not just in proximity, but in spirit.

Citations:

Gallup. (2023, April 4). Loneliness in U.S. subsides from pandemic high. Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/473057/loneliness-subsides-pandemic-high.aspx

Maas, J., van Dillen, S. M. E., Verheij, R. A., & Groenewegen, P. P. (2009). Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health. Health & place, 15(2), 586–595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.09.006