As suburban neighborhoods become denser and privacy becomes harder to come by, we’re faced with an interesting design challenge for the single-family home. We want our homes to feel safe and private from the traffic and noise pollution, but also feel open and connected to the landscape. Balancing these competing objectives can be tricky, especially when your lot looks right onto your neighbor’s property.
Which begs the question: How do you design a home without a view that still feels open and connected to the site and also feels private?
We’re looking at a few projects today that address lots where residents desire a quiet respite, connection to the outdoors, and also don’t have (or want) views out beyond their property. You’ll notice a common thread in each of these design solutions that they all look inward, creating a private experience on their own property with courtyards, gardens, screening, and directed and shielded views. Let’s take a look.
Los Altos Residence by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
[Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Photos by Nic Lehoux.]
The Los Altos Residence is a ranch home in Northern California. Nestled amongst neighboring houses and mature trees, the floor plan and massing create a private respite from the dense suburban community.
The house has a central double-height living space that runs parallel to the street, shielding the home from the busy thoroughfare. On the sides of the main space are private and service spaces extending towards the back courtyard like arms cradling a secluded sanctuary. An accessory structure in the rear yard further contains the courtyard, creating a backdrop and screen from beyond the property.
[Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.]
In the main living area, a wall of sliding glass doors blur the line between indoors and out, opening to the back patio overlooking a meadow of tall grasses.
In smaller private spaces, deliberate design moves connect the inhabitants to the outside world. For example, there are framed views of the exterior from every room drawing one’s eyes to the outside.
Strategically placing landscape features like gardens with running water, one can hear the trickling of water and the quiet rustling of trees just outside the principal bedroom. It is these moments, when the outdoors extends inside, that help anchor the building to the site.
Helen Street Residence by MW Works
[Architect: MW Works. Photos by Andrew Pogue.]
[Architect: Helen Street Residence is a modest home on a corner lot in a Seattle suburb. The owners looked to downsize and wanted a modest footprint with a quiet design that integrated with the landscape. They also wanted a modern, light-filled home that gave them privacy but still afforded views.
What’s interesting about this design is that the entry to the property is tucked behind a privacy screen. Upon entering the property, you immediately step into a central courtyard. The house, in its L-shaped layout, and the garden shed shield you from the rest of the world.
[Architect: MW Works.]
The courtyard services as an organizational hub for the home. It brings light and private outdoor space deeper into the site. All interior spaces face onto and open up to this courtyard.
The desired level of privacy for various spaces dictates the placement of solid walls versus glazing. Solid walls block sightlines from neighbors. Glass panels create transparency and views to the courtyard and small gardens on the fringes of the site.
Yo-Ju Courtyard House by Wittman Estes
[Architect: Wittman Estes. Photos by Andrew Pogue.]
Yo-Ju Courtyard House is located on a busy street in the Seattle area. It is also designed around the idea of courtyards.
The design has three elements: 1) the screened entry courtyard, which is a barrier to noise and people on the street; 2) the house living volume, which presents an opaque facade to the street, and a transparent facade to the rear; and 3) the garden courtyard, which is a secluded zone in the rear yard where children can play freely.
[Architect: Wittman Estes.]
The organizational strategy of this project places the main living space in the center of the house. The living spaces open up to a rear courtyard with large glass sliding doors that join all the spaces together. At the front of the house on two levels are private spaces with more solid walls.
[Architect: Wittman Estes.]
The design creates the illusion of larger spaces by expanding the interior outdoors with large openings. By doing so, the home can have a smaller footprint which reduces construction and operating costs. It also increases planting area, privacy, and views into nature.
Venice House by Finne Architecture
[Architect Finne Architecture. Photos by Tom Bonner.]
The Venice House is a two-story home located on a long, narrow lot in a Los Angles neighborhood.
The interesting thing about this project is its orientation on the site and its footprint. Traditionally, homes fill the entire width of the site to create a frontal relationship to the street. On this narrow lot, however, the bulk of the home is on the side of the lot, creating a long open space on the other side. This allowed the residents to utilize the full length of the lot for outdoor play and enjoyment.
[Architect Finne Architecture. Photos by Tom Bonner.]
The home has large glass walls facing the vast side yard creating a seamless indoor-outdoor environment. Trees and a front gate help buffer the home from the street. The organic cover allows the front door to be close to the street, but safely hidden and transparent. Upon entering the gate, visitors see a large portion of the home while gaining a full perspective of the property.
Conclusion
So how do you design a home without a view? You create one!
Here are the characteristics that we feel are most effective in addressing the suburban lot:
- They have private outdoor space(s) hidden from the street and prying eyes of their neighbors like gardens, courtyards, and pools.
- There is a deliberate strategy to provide privacy (i.e. thoughtful layout and orientation on the site, intentional room placement based on privacy needs, and the use of solid walls, screening, and/or planting).
- They deliberately place windows and doors so that they fill interiors with air and light while also framing specific views of the own landscape features surrounding their home.
Excellent. Thank you!