Union Studio | Architecture & Community Design

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Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Photo: Nat Rea

Cottages on Greene, East Greenwich, RI

Located in the waterfront, “main street” town of East Greenwich on a .85 acre lot, fifteen units of mixed-income condominiums have been organized into a compact cottage court development. These 2-bedroom, 1,000 SF “cottages” are a mix of building types consisting of free-standing single units, duplexes, and a 3-unit townhouse structure. Despite nine of the units being attached, the overall neighborhood appears as a cluster of 1 ½ story free-standing cottages organized around a linear court and gardens. Bio-swales and rain gardens have been used not only as stormwater management, but as the landscape theme of the neighborhood: small bridges and boardwalks cross and re-cross the spillways and ponds creating a defining image of the landscape. The common spaces are anchored by community gardens, well contained behind white picket fences, and a more formal sod linear court which provides a setting for neighborhood gatherings as well as a fittingly formal address on the public street. The front porch community offers a unique alternative for home buyers looking for a safe, walkable neighborhood with shared upkeep.