Post by Jason Fifield
We are very appreciative of the opportunity to work with Eli Spevak and his team at Orange Splot, and we would like to congratulate them for recently completing the Mason St. Townhomes. Many of the wonderful advantages of living in a cohousing environment are evident in this community:
- shared environments encourage relationship building with neighbors, and allow access to additional amenities at a much lower cost to each individual resident
- common spaces allow residents to gather for meals, parties, movies, and other events
- outdoor areas away from traffic creates safe play opportunities for children and adults
- parking and other vehicular areas are limited, preserving the majority of the site as a pedestrian friendly, car-free zone
- communal living is facilitated by the design and layout of the buildings and outdoor spaces, which is balanced with the privacy provided by separate entrances and individual spaces within each dwelling.
- a variety of dwelling types and sizes, as well as the inclusion of market rate and low income homes, allow for a diverse, vibrant respite within the Cully Neighborhood of NE Portland
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This is a unique community of 14 homes, with a common house, courtyard, guest rooms, and other shared amenities, such as bicycle storage and gardening. The homes were designed by Communitecture as townhome-style dwellings, with a variety of sizes and configurations throughout the community, including (3) two bedroom townhomes, (4) three bedroom townhomes, and (6) four bedroom townhomes. Three of the two bedroom townhomes are permanently affordable through the involvement of Proud Ground.
The common house and each townhome open to covered patio areas that are oriented around a central courtyard. The layout of each townhome places the kitchen towards the covered patios and courtyard, to encourage interaction between residents and the activity of the courtyard and common house. The dwelling units are efficiently designed to provide a spacious feel within a small footprint. Each building utilizes a playful layout of gable roofs, dormers, projections and facade artwork to break down the scale of the project and to further add to the variety of spaces within each building. Although it has a higher density than much of the surrounding neighborhood, it provides an appropriate transition between an active commercial zone and the adjacent residential area.
The common house and each townhome open to covered patio areas that are oriented around a central courtyard. The layout of each townhome places the kitchen towards the covered patios and courtyard, to encourage interaction between residents and the activity of the courtyard and common house. The dwelling units are efficiently designed to provide a spacious feel within a small footprint. Each building utilizes a playful layout of gable roofs, dormers, projections and facade artwork to break down the scale of the project and to further add to the variety of spaces within each building. Although it has a higher density than much of the surrounding neighborhood, it provides an appropriate transition between an active commercial zone and the adjacent residential area.
Design rendering of Mason St. Townhomes by Mark Lakeman
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Mason St. Townhomes is a community in which residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of spaces, experiences, and lifestyles, while developing lasting relationships with their neighbors. It truly is a village within the city. For more information please see the Mason St. Townhomes website.
 |  Facade artwork by Richard Crawley |
All photos by 22 Pages Photography.
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