The communication network of Carpenter Village has been designed utilizing New Urbanist principles in order to foster greater inter-personal communication among the residents of the development.
With the notable exception of the two cul-de-sacs that occur in the development, the development has created a connected and combined communication network that helps to unite all portions of the development and contributes to its overall level of sustainability.
The inclusion of public transportation options in the transportation network is another highlight of the communication network for the community. The bus system will eventually provide residents with the option of utilizing the regional light-rail transit system that is scheduled to begin service in the next few years.
This transportation option will provide the opportunity for residents to commute to the Research Triangle Park and the city of Raleigh without depending upon the use of private automobiles. The integration of the public transportation system into the residential and commercial uses of the development also contributes to the sustainability of the development.
Sense of Place
The commercial core of Carpenter Village may prove to be a vibrant and integral part of the overall community fabric. Unfortunately, the developer’s inability to successfully attract a variety of occupants to the commercial core is threatening the sustainability of the development.
However, the remaining portions of the development such as the residential components, the open space trail system and the community center are all significant contributors to the community’s sense of place.
Provided that the commercial core can be successfully developed and occupied, the development should be able to achieve a centered, configured and comprehensible community that will begin to develop its unique sense of place.
Until the successful infill of commercial spaces, the community is lacking a unique sense of place that can be fostered and enhanced with the development of the commercial core.
Compromises made by the developer during the design phase of the development are the primary cause for the lack of commercial occupants in the development. The commercial core is sited in a manner that will allow it to become the civic center of the community.
Without this uniting element present in the community, this development has taken on the feel of a typical planned unit development that does not have a unique character or strong indication of a sense of civic pride among the residents. This is not to say that the development will not fill the commercial space eventually, but until that occurs, the development has failed in creating a unique sense of place within the community.
Flexibility of Use
The design of Carpenter Village has allowed for further expansion of the development to be located on the north side of Morrisville-Carpenter Road, separate from the existing development. This feature of the design has greatly detracted from the development’s ability to be re-configurable over time.
Responding to development challenges by sprawling across a major thoroughfare is not a sustainable solution or contingency plan for TNDs.
The inclusion of this contingency plan in the overall design of the development, and more importantly the implementation of the plan, will change the classification of this development from a smart growth community to a typical suburban development.
In order to ensure the development’s sustainability, the developers and designers of the community should formulate a more logical plan that will address the needs of the residents who are currently living in the community.
Conclusions
Carpenter Village meets many of the criteria for being considered a sustainable development, however there are some significant flaws in the implementation of the overall design plan that need to be addressed in order to ensure that the community will be truly sustainable.
The issue of the creation of a unique sense of place must be addressed in order for the community to develop and maintain its identity. The development of the commercial core will greatly increase the chances of achieving sustainability for the community.
A possible design solution may be to add affordable housing to the implementation of the commercial core in order to provide a true mixed-use area and to take full advantage of available public transportation options.
The second issue that must be addressed to ensure the sustainability of the community is addressing the future needs of the community through a more responsible plan for flexibility of use. The plan to expand the development across a main road would threaten the development’s sustainability and disqualify it from being considered a smart growth community.
Provided these issues are addressed, the community should be able to develop a unique sense of place and become a shining example of sustainable development.
Copiers do not collaborate. -Antonio Gaudi
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