This article was very interesting. Michael Martin utililzes case studies of three "distinctly different residential back-alleyscapes" to study the relationship between the built environment, of the alleyscape, and the behavior it attracts. After examining the three case studies, the author makes recomendations on restructuring the alleyscape to better promote sense of community.
This is an important study because new urbanist planners are beginning to utilize back-alleys, which was lost in the suburban design scheme, in their designs. The back alleyscapes are being desinged strictly as service corridors, neglecting to design the space to attract community use, not related to service.
If you would like to read this article it can be found at:
Landscape journal, 1996 Fall, v.15, n.2, p.138-153, photographs, drawings, diagrams, site plans
