Scale of Sociability

Humans are wired for connection. We love to chat, tell stories, reminisce, and laugh. In small groups, conversation flows effortlessly—it’s what we do naturally.

At this dinner party, the guests all gathered to raise a toast to the host, then settled into small groups to chat while eating. This is the scale of sociability . Pocket neighborhoods are designed around this intrinsic behavior.

Think of a pocket neighborhood as “pockets of nearby neighbors”

Pocket neighborhoods thrive when homes are arranged in clusters of 6 to 12 residences around a shared open space, such as a garden courtyard or pedestrian street. At this scale, spontaneous interactions and informal gatherings happen naturally, weaving a fabric of care and community.

Larger communities may have multiple pocket neighborhoods, each with its own well-defined commons while remaining connected by walkways. This ensures that residents maintain a sense of intimacy within their immediate cluster while still being part of a larger whole.

The scale of sociability can be incorporated in larger neighborhoods where pocket neighborhood clusters mix with individual porch-fronted homes opening to a quiet street or public park.

TO IMPLEMENT THIS PATTERN:

• Create an intermediate zone of sociability where public and private zones overlap

• Plan clusters with shared gathering spaces for nearby neighbors

• Incorporate room-sized porches oriented to pedestrian-scaled public spaces

• Encourage personal gardens and picnic tables in front yards

By embracing these design elements, pocket neighborhoods create spaces where relationships form organically—supporting both privacy and connection in balance.

Shared Commons

The shared common space is what holds a pocket neighborhood together, giving it both vitality and a sense of belonging. This space can take many forms—a garden courtyard, a central play area, a reclaimed alley, or a community room shared by urban apartment dwellers.

Neither fully private (like a home or yard) nor fully public (like a busy street or park), the commons serves as an in-between space, fostering connection and shared responsibility. Residents take part in its care and oversight, strengthening both security and community identity.

Give it clear boundaries.  A well-defined commons creates a sense of shared territory. When a stranger enters, they are naturally acknowledged—perhaps with a friendly “Can I help you?”—while children gain a safe, familiar space to play or spend time with a neighbor-turned-extended-family member.

Activate the commons.  If the commons is merely something to look at, neighbors will have fewer reasons to interact. Instead, encourage daily engagement by positioning mailboxes, parking areas, and shared buildings so residents naturally walk through the commons to reach their homes; and orient active interior rooms—such as kitchens and living areas—to overlook the shared space, rather than turning homes inward or away from one another.

Create a calm center.  A central lawn provides visual tranquility, balancing the rich details of surrounding plantings, porches, and homes. To keep it open and flexible for play, gatherings, or quiet relaxation, avoid cluttering the space with excessive plantings or pathways. Include a single, well-placed tree to serve as a focal point and provide welcome shade.

Common Buildings & Gardens

An advantage of living in a pocket neighborhood is being able to have shared buildings and gardens.

	The easiest and least expensive amenity is a common tool shed (how many rakes, shovels, hoes and lawn mowers do you need in a close-knit neighborhood?).
	An outdoor barbeque or fireplace is another.
	A multipurpose room with a kitchenette, bathroom and storage room can be used to host community potlucks, meetings, exercise groups and movie nights.
	Larger aggregate communities of several pocket neighborhoods may be able to afford a community kitchen & dining hall, guest apartment, workshop, children’s room, and even a swimming pool.
	Pocket neighborhoods of any size will enjoy the benefits of a community vegetable garden.
Beyond being amenities for residents, these common facilities foster relationships among neighbors and strengthen their sense of community — considered by some as essential ingredients for creating community.

Room-sized Porch

The front porch is a unique layer of personal space—both private and public at the same time. It belongs to the household yet remains open to passersby, making it one of the most powerful elements for fostering neighborly connections.

Porches allow residents to be present in community life without being fully immersed in the public realm. They provide a place to unwind, observe neighborhood activity, and engage in casual conversations that can gradually deepen into lasting relationships.

GUIDELINES FOR A GOOD PORCH

Designing a great porch is both an art and a science. Thoughtful placement, dimensions, and design ensure that a porch will be enjoyed for years. Here are some guidelines:

Get the location right.  A front porch is a space of transition, so it should be part of the main entrance, connected to the front yard, and in view of the street or public walkway.

Make it large enough to use.  A porch should be more than just decorative—avoid ‘faux’ porches that are appliquéd for looks but serve no function. Instead, design it as an outdoor room, a place to gather for dinner with friends or settle in with a book.

For initial hellos and lingering goodbyes, a width of 5 feet is ideal. 6 feet is the minimum width for a dining table with chairs or a set of rocking chairs. A porch measuring 9 feet by 12 feet becomes a true outdoor living room, an extension of the home’s interior.

Don’t cut through the middle.  Don’t arrange a lane directly through the gathering space. Instead, position the passage to the front door off to the side. If the porch is wide enough, the door can be centered between two seating areas.

Keep the porch open.  It’s tempting to enclose a porch with windows but doing so alters its role as a connection to public life. If additional shelter is needed, consider seasonal roll-down canvas curtains or fully removable storm windows.

Define the edge.  A railing creates a subtle but important social boundary between private and public space. Don’t leave it out!

A railing 24 to 30 inches high strikes a good balance between openness and privacy, making it ideal for porches facing a shared commons. It’s also the perfect height for perching or resting a cup of tea—provided it’s wide enough. Make sure to check your building code: if the height from the deck to the ground is more than 28 inches, most codes require the railing to be 36 or 42 inches high. Unfortunately, at this height the porch becomes an enclosure. If there is space, consider raising the ground closer to the deck to get around this requirement.

For porches close to a busy sidewalk, more separation is needed to provide a better sense of enclosure. This can be achieved with a slightly elevated floor and higher railing. Before finalizing the height, mock it up to see what feels best.

Add flowerboxes.  What’s more wonderful than raised flowers? They’re bright and cheerful, always changing, and they entice us with their fragrance. Beyond their delight, flowerboxes soften the boundary between personal and public space, and add warmth and vitality to the neighborhood.

Layers of Personal Space

Community can be wonderful, but too much community can be suffocating. On the other hand, with too much privacy, a person can feel cut off from neighbors. Creating multiple ‘layers of personal space’ will help achieve the right balance between privacy and community.

At the transition between the public street and the semi-public commons, create a passage of some sort — a gateway, arbor, or narrowed enclosure of plantings.

Between the commons and the front door, create a series of layers — such as a border of shrubs and flowers at the edge of the sidewalk /a low fence /private yard / a covered porch with a low railing and flowerboxes /and then the front door. With this layering, residents will feel comfortable being on the porch — enough enclosure to be private, with enough openness to acknowledge passersby.

Where the space is limited, such as an urban apartment, think of the layer just outside the door as a “soft edge”, and make room for a bench, or table and chairs.

Layers of personal space continue on the interior of the homes — locate the more active living spaces toward the shared commons, and the more private, personal spaces toward the back of the house and upstairs. Sometimes, having a secluded garden is just what is needed to recharge a busy life. Locate this space at the rear of the dwelling, or on a roof terrace. 

Nested Houses

Living next door to a house or apartment with direct views into your home can feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic. Thoughtful design can prevent this by creating ‘nested houses’—where each home has an open side and a closed side. The open side features large windows facing a private side yard, while the closed side uses high windows and skylights to bring in natural light without compromising privacy. This approach ensures that neighbors don’t peer directly into one another’s living spaces.

Make the side yard usable.  A narrow, 5-foot side yard often becomes a storage space for ladders and rusty bicycles. Instead, make use of a full side yard that extends to the face of the neighboring building using limited-use easements. Position the property line far enough from the house to avoid triggering fire separation requirements, maximizing both light and functional outdoor space.

Corralling the Car

Eyes on Shared Space

The strongest foundation for personal and community security is a network of neighbors who know and care for one another. When the active spaces of homes—porches, windows, and balconies—overlook shared common areas, it becomes easier to notice a stranger or recognize when something is amiss. Nearby neighbors can also spot disruptions in daily routines or be there in case of an emergency.

Don’t forget the alley. Arriving home alone late at night to a secluded parking spot can feel unsafe. Ensure that parking areas are visible from nearby homes enhances security will make these spaces safer and more welcoming.

Connection & Contribution

It’s easy to adopt the mindset, “I have property rights; I can do whatever the law allows.” Or, more subtly, to focus solely on personal needs while overlooking the broader context—like putting up a 6-foot fence to block the street. These viewpoints are understandable, but they lead to disconnected patchworks of private compounds.

When considering our own or a client’s needs, we should seek ways to connect and contribute to the larger community while still meeting individual desires. Enhance your part of the neighborhood with thoughtful improvements that complement the street’s character: adding street trees, installing a low wall with raised flowers, or placing a bench along the sidewalk. A building could feature a spacious porch or a bay window that faces the public space, or unique architectural details, colors, or rooflines that make it a small landmark in the neighborhood.

This is a “both/and” situation—where personal needs and the broader community can be served simultaneously.

Rooms of Public Space

Seabrook, WA • Town Plan by Laurence Qamar

Think of the street and shared commons as “rooms,” with buildings, landscaping, and fences forming the walls. In the spirit of Connection and Contribution, use thoughtful improvements to buildings and gardens to enhance the room-like quality and unique character of these spaces. If the surrounding houses or streetscape lack strong design elements, consider introducing patterns that can inspire neighbors to follow suit.

Avoid turning your back on the street. This can be a challenge—pocket neighborhood courtyards naturally face inward, while houses along the street are outward-facing. However, it’s possible to achieve both when these spaces are designed to complement each other.

Enclosure and Permeability

Gated communities close off from everyone except those who have the code. While this may be understandable in dangerous environments, most pocket neighborhoods will benefit with an appropriate openness or permeability to the surrounding community. A healthy community ‘breathes’ with its surroundings.

This pattern may have the common area open to the street with a screen of street trees or low hedge. Or it may have a narrowed passage from the street leading into the private commons. Both examples add to the experience of the street while being a buffer to the internal shared space.

A Place for Planting

Community gardens are valuable, but first and foremost, people need a small piece of land to call their own. Most find satisfaction in working with soil and growing plants, so every dwelling should have some private outdoor space—a small yard, a planting bed, or even a few pots for gardening. Ideally, place at least part of this private garden within view of the shared common area. This personal touch not only enhances the character of the commons but also fosters connections with neighbors.

Slightly Snug

When houses are too large, residents tend to stay indoors. But with slightly snug houses, the porch, gardens, and shared common spaces get used more, which foster connections among neighbors. 

A home that is “not so big” is more likely to be fully lived in and well cared for.

A Few Words About Style

Pocket neighborhoods are sometimes considered to be detached ‘cottage-style’ homes around a garden courtyard. While this is one expression, the pocket neighborhood idea applies to far more styles and configurations. The design patterns listed here are a few of the essential keys to creating successful pocket neighborhoods. As you notice, style is not one of them.

Cheesecake Community • Fernau & Hartman Architects