Green Villages, the Pandemic, and the Future of California Urbanism

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of housing in controlling the spread of the virus was limited, as policies primarily focused on short-term measures such as lockdowns and social distancing. As the pandemic recedes, a shift has occurred towards restructuring the environment to confront future health crises better. This research thoroughly evaluates existing literature and housing complexes. It recommends that future projects prioritize several key features: ample exposure to natural environments, opportunities for growing food, encouragement of casual social interactions, inclusion of communal spaces, and provision of areas for exercise to help reduce the risks of contagion and alleviate the mental health impacts on residents. Based on research conducted during and after the pandemic, current recommendations for housing often provide generalized suggestions or propose ideal layouts through diagrams. This approach can be unrealistic from both spatial and economic perspectives and fails to inspire or stimulate creativity. This paper, by contrast, reviews and analyzes historical housing projects while critically examining three case studies that have the potential to inspire future designs. The goal is to provide officials, architects, and stakeholders with a series of practical possibilities and guidelines that contribute to the post-COVID home design process by making it more health-conscious and fostering the creation of new types of neighborhoods that can significantly impact the planning of cities in California.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; California; case studies; multi-family housing; natural environments; social interaction; urban agriculture communal spaces.

Figure 1

Bungalow court San Diego (photo by author 2004).

Figure 2

El Cabrillo Garden Court, Los Angeles (example of courtyard housing) Arthur and Nina Zwebell 1927 (photo courtesy Jordan Ashley Brett 2021).

Figure 3

Baldwyn Hills Village. Photograph copyright © 2019 Liz Kuball (www.lizkuball.com).

Figure 4

Daybreak Grove plan of the complex (drawing courtesy of Davids-Killory).

Figure 5

Daybreak Grove isometric of the complex (drawing courtesy of Davids-Killory).

Figure 6

Daybreak Grove, courtyard (photo by author 2013).

Figure 7

Daybreak Grove isometric of the complex (drawing courtesy of Davids-Killory).

Figure 8

Garden Village ground floorplan (courtesy Natoma Architects Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA).

Figure 9

Garden Village façade (photo by author 2023).

Figure 10

Garden Village Roof Farm (photo by author 2023).

Figure 11

Garden Village Roof Farm (courtesy Natoma Architects Inc.).

Figure 12

Tessafaronga Village site plan (Image courtesy David Baker Architects, San Francisco, CA, USA).

Figure 13

Tassafaronga Village townhouse unit plans (courtesy David Baker Architects).

Figure 14

Terssafaronga Alley with townhouses (photo by the author 2023).

Figure 15

Acta Non-Verba: Youth Urban Farm (Photo by the author).