Building

Chapter 17 of the New Urbanism Best Practices Guide

Wherever buildings are experienced up close at a walking pace, the details of the buildings become extremely important. Yet much of today’s world is built through high-production methods, and builders have a hard time getting architectural details right. This chapter looks at how to build in a pleasing way, attentive to the methods and materials currently available. The design process in most traditional neighborhood developments begins with thorough research of the local vernacular. Designers and builders can learn from the relative simplicity of forms in many old houses; massing is most effective when it is not unduly complicated. Some builders use a two-foot grid, which takes advantage of standard lumber dimensions.

This chapter provides advice on the proportions, materials, and detailing of windows and other elements. How deep should porches be? What kinds of columns look good and work well? Do all the houses on a block need porches? Should a builder who normally subcontracts out the construction have an on-staff crew to install the trim, and why? What is a good alternative to clunky elements like the “pork chop return” at the edge of the roof gable in production houses? How can a builder achieve a reasonable approximation of classical detail and yet not make the job overly expensive? Are fiber-cement boards a good substitute for wooden clapboards? Questions like these are answered with help from experienced new urbanist builders and designers. 

Houses in traditional neighborhood developments are often placed close to the sidewalks. This chapter explores how to pull the house close to the public realm while creating enjoyable private spaces in sideyards and backyards. Jason Miller describes an education program that helps production builders make the transition to higher-quality output.