Design Checklist
- Terraced housing exhibits a clearly defined ‘public front and private back’ pattern of development
- The ends of terraced houses, in particular on street or lane corners, successfully address both the primary and secondary streets
All residential buildings, including terraced housing, should present a clearly defined ‘front’ to the public street or open space, while containing a private ‘back’ to the rear of the site. In doing so, the house can provide a high degree of residential amenity by accommodating private rooms (bathrooms and bedrooms) away from the public street edge, and locating more public areas (kitchen, living room, dining room and entrance at the front.
To work well and offer safety and privacy, terraced houses should have a clear public entrance, including a welcoming pathway to the front door, and a clear private back in the form of a garden, courtyard balcony or roof terrace. This section looks at how to arrange terraced housing on a site, how to design the ‘edges’ or ends of terraced housing rows and the importance of thinking about service areas early on.