i was much surprised by joel's posting regarding the backyard/front
porch "issue."
i thought a lot about it over the weekend....
i guess surprised is the best adjective to use for my reaction to a
member of the planning commission feeling that way... especially since a
lot of current architectural theory relates the loss of the front porch in the
building boom following wwii to the decline of community, and all of the
subsequent problems which followed.
essentially, as we retreated from the front porch into the backyard, (the
theory goes) we lost touch with neighbors, the community, and "caring."
security is decreased and crime increases because folks aren't
watching out for each other, and you can extrapolate from there.
on a personal note... the front porch sorta become an icon for what i feel
is "better" (on a purely subjective basis) about the inland northwest.
we spent four years in spokane, living in a small apartment on the fringe
of the manito park/cannon hill park/comstock park area of spokane's
south hill. my wife and i used to really enjoy strolling around the
neighborhoods, and we came to know several folks from "front porch"
type encounters.
my job then took me to the laguna hills area of southern californina,
where we lived for three years in the type of complex ron force just
described. the complex had a pool, two jacuzis, tennis courts, a weight
room, and a party/meeting room. the community association dues (which
include landscape maintenance) were $131.00/month. we knew a few
people, but we never "bumped into" anybody during our walks, because
all the units faced to the rear "privacy yards."
during this time, we saw the julia roberts movie, "sleeping with the
enemy." there is a scene where julia has returned to iowa, shot during a
late summer afternoon, during which she sits on the front porch of the
iowa home she has rented, and finally relaxes after all this terrible stuff
has happened to her. the sun comes through the trees, children are
playing, people are walking the sidewalks....
my wife and i looked at each other, and we both said at the same
time..."we gotta get back to spokane."
we now have a small, mobile home looking, t-1-11, ranchburger house
out by good samaritan. you can guess that it does not have a front
porch... even though the front of the house has a full southern exposure.
the back (on the north side) has a small, useless little deck that is
constantly shaded and cold 11 months of the year.
the big project this summer will be (time & checkbook willing) a front
porch.
....ray