The Typical Residential Site

It can reflect their personality and atti­tude toward their own environment, and it can offer a refuge from the routine and pressures of daily events. But, does the typical residential site actually meet this standard? As a setting for the house, the residential site is the context or surroundings within which one views the architecture of the house. The sound of birds in the trees, the fragrance of a flowering plant, or the sight of a picturesque tree can provide the mind and emotions with pleasurable thoughts and feelings. The first section of the chapter provides an overview of what a common residential site looks like. Socializing, eating, cooking, reading, sunbathing, recreating, gardening, or simply relaxing are all activities that can take place on the residential site. It serves nu­merous utilitarian, aesthetic, and psychological functions for the residents as well as for visitors, neighbors, and passersby. No two clients, no two sites, and no two homes are the same. This chapter addresses these questions as they relate to the typical single-family residential site in the United States. Likewise, each site is distinctive from the next because of topography, views, vegetation, surrounding site conditions, and so on. Does it really provide a proper setting for the house, furnish pleasant outdoor spaces for living, or simply function in a desirable manner? In addition, the site can be considered an expres­sion of the lifestyle and values of the residents. In addition, each home is characteristically different because of such details as its architectural character, floor plans, decorations, furniture, and accessories. The second section analyzes the
visual and functional qualities of front yards, backyards, and side yards of the typical residential site. The third section deals with some typical architectural styles of houses, the importance of architectural character, and the need for the landscape designer to develop landscape designs that blend the house and site together. This is done to pro­vide the foundation for making suggestions on improving the process and quality of residential site design in subsequent chapters.