At Kentlands, New Urbanism Has Unlocked a Sense of Community

Kim, who characterized himself as "somewhat reserved," said, "When you walk down the street, you see all the activity and you feel like you want to be a part of it."

How does the layout produce this effect? Though planners would never describe it this way, traditional neighborhood design is a party-planning principle writ large. The key word is proximity.

When an experienced party planner organizes a social event for 50 to 100 people who don't know each other, she puts the group in a slightly undersize room. With shared purpose and proximity, most people can overcome their hesitation to talk with a stranger.

The party dynamic works even better if the group can sprawl through several smaller rooms. People will naturally divide into small groups, and conversations are easier. If you hear something interesting, you can join in without feeling that you're intruding.

The design of Kentlands encourages the same type of encounter outdoors, with a series of interconnected outdoor spaces, or "rooms," that are smaller and cozier than in a conventional suburb. The streets are narrower, and the distance from the sidewalk to the front porches can be as little as six feet, Kim said.

As residents describe their daily routines, the potential for casual socializing is everywhere. Owners of adjacent front porches visit with each other, Kim noted, and the porches are so close to the sidewalk that residents and passersby cannot help but say hello.

Moving the garage to the rear opened up another place for people to congregate. In the alleys, adults socialize and kids play, skateboard and learn to ride bikes. On some blocks, residents have alley parties.

A few households keep two cars in their garages, but most people park one car on the street in front of their house, which provides another opportunity to chat with neighbors.

The sidewalks are a venue for socializing and exercising. John McCutcheon, who lives near two of the three lakes in Kentlands, said he sees 30 to 40 people power walking, jogging and biking every day, alone and in small groups.

Some people drive to the shopping center at the edge of the neighborhood, but many residents walk unless they're buying something heavy. Dildine said his household follows a "10-pound" rule: "We take the car if we're buying more than 10 pounds to carry home."

With so many eyes on the street, parents are comfortable letting younger children go out on their own. Especially because they know if their kids misbehave or forget to wear a bike helmet, they'll soon hear about it. Teenagers, who often want to get out of the house long before they are old enough to drive, can walk to the multiplex or to get ice cream or pizza.

All the socializing has led to lasting friendships. Horton, who grew up in a small Southern town, said: "It feels like many people are kin. We've supported each other through divorce, deaths, severe illness and organ transplants. When one mom lost her hair from chemotherapy, all the dads, including me, cut our hair so her son wouldn't be scared."

Kim said that the proximity can have its downside. Many residents talked about the lack of privacy -- "we're so close, we can see what the next-door neighbors are having for dinner" -- and a few families left for this reason.

But he observed the opposite phenomenon in the nearby conventional neighborhood he studied. Those residents valued their privacy but envied the sidewalks and social networks of Kentlands.

So far, he concluded, architects and land planners haven't figured out how to satisfy both these basic needs in the same neighborhood.

Katherine Salant can be contacted via her Web site,http://www.katherinesalant.com.

Copyright 2007 Katherine Salant