Mature Neighbourhood Urban Form And Architectural

STRATHCONA COUNTY Mature Neighbourhood Urban Form

And Architectural Character Assessment

Februar y 2015

STRATHCONA COUNTY | MATURE NEIGHBOURHOOD URBAN FORM AND ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

MMM GROUP LIMITED AND EIDOS CONSULTANTS INC. | FEBRUARY 2015i i i

Contents

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1

S ec tion A

I ntroduc tion

Urban Design

H istor y

S ec tion B

Typic al Street and I ts Comp onents

M assing

Sit ing

Bui lding Typology

G arages

Windows

Roof St yles

Architec tural St yles

Colours

M aterials

Landscaping

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S ec tion C

I ndividual Neighb ourho o ds Assessment

Sher wood Heights (1956 - 1969)

Broadmoor Estates (1961 - 1976)

Brent wood (1962 - 1973)

M aple Grove (1961 - 1971)

Centre in the Park (1968 - 2012)

M aplewood (1969 - 1971)

Westboro (1969 - 1973)

M il ls Haven (1971 - 1975)

Glen Al len (1971 - 1972)

Woodbridge Farms (1978 - 1980)

Vi l lage on the Lake (1979 - 1984)

S ec tion D

Considerations

G eneral Considerat ions

Neighbourhood-Specif ic Considerat ions

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MMM GROUP LIMITED AND EIDOS CONSULTANTS INC. | FEBRUARY 20151

Section A : Introduction/Urban Design/History


Intr

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The Mature Neighborhood Strategy started with Phase 1 in 2013. The intent of Phase 1 of the Mature Neighbourhood Strategy was to ask questions and obtain initial feedback on what residents and stakeholders thought of their neighbourhoods. This information is summarized in the Mature Neighborhood Strategy Preliminary Consultation Program Summary Report June 2013. Among the information and feedback received from Phase 1, was resident concern for the protection of existing green space and community character.

The purpose of Phase 2 is to understand the form and character of our mature neighbourhoods, and to create policy and regulation to protect these features over time as new homes and additions are built. Currently, there is little regulation in place to protect the character of these neighbourhoods as zoning regulations were not written according to how homes in the mature neighbourhoods were built. An example from the Land Use Bylaw is the maximum height. For certain types of single family homes the maximum height is 10 meters, or 2 and a half storeys, which is very different from the average one storey bungalow in many of the mature neighbourhoods. Once Phase 2 is complete, Council will decide whether or not to proceed with Phase 3, which may be a discussion with residents on when, where, and what type of infill may be considered, however infill is not the focus of Phase 2.

To guide the Phase 2 process, Council appointed Mature Neighbourhood Strategy Phase 2 Citizens Task Force(CTF). The CTF is made up of ten (10) residents from mature

neighbourhoods in Sherwood Park of which six (6) out of eleven (11) neighbourhoods are represented. Glen Allan, Mills haven, Maplewood, Brentwood, Sherwood Heights and Village on the Lake all have representatives on the task force. In addition to choosing the final consultants, the CTF worked closely with the consultant and administration to help identify neighbourhood character elements, formulate a public engagement program, and support communication with mature neighbourhood residents.

This report is a technical background study that identifies the defining features of mature neighbourhoods that contribute to their unique character. In identifying what features and architectural characteristics make mature neighbourhoods unique, regulation and policy can be created from this at the direction of Council to ensure new construction is in keeping with neighbourhood character.

Section A of this study describes the history of development in the County`s mature neighbourhoods. Section B describes concept of a typical street and identifies and explains different architectural and landscape features as well as our approach to this study. Section C emphasizes unique aspects of each of the eleven neighbourhoods and presents specific findings for each neighbourhood studied. The final section, Section D, provides considerations for preserving the unique characters of each mature neighbourhood. When reviewing this document, especially individual neighbourhoods in Section C, readers should use Section B as a resource or guide for more detail, explanation and definitions on specific urban form and character elements found in their neighbourhood.

Introduction


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Geographic regions such as cities, towns, neighbourhoods, and the streets of our neighbourhoods represent different scales of urban forms. The discipline that studies and analyzes the design of urban forms is Urban Design. Urban Design is a relatively new discipline and builds on the foundations laid by other design disciplines, including Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning. Urban Design has also taken many influences from modern disciplinary fields such as art history, civil engineering, sociology, environmental science, psychology, and anthropology. Urban Design brings all the above disciplines together to understand the interface between the public and private realm, to study the relationship between building facades, the streets, and sidewalks. Urban Design is also concerned with enhancing connections between destinations, creating and linking community nodes and focal points, and improving the quality of life in human settlements.

Strathcona County’s eleven mature neighbourhoods individually and together are an urban form. The neighbourhood streets, trees, open spaces, parks, buildings, land uses, natural and man made landscapes, parking lots, and servicing infrastructure contribute to the urban form of the mature neighbourhoods.

Along with the CTF members; the community was engaged throughout the project duration. Public engagement was undertaken in three tiers and various platforms were created for gathering public input including three open houses, website surveys, and engagement booths at the Strathcona County`s farmer’s market and library. The first two tiers of the public engagement were informative and educational, as well as interactive. In the first open house we presented the history of development to the attendees along with building typology and architectural styles. Then attendees were split in groups as per the neighbourhoods and asked to provide

input on features and characters of their neighbourhoods. In the second open house, the consultant team presented the findings and key considerations to preserve the character of the community. Feedback was received on what residents liked about their neighbourhoods, what architectural styles and forms are representative of their neighbourhoods, and preferences were obtained in regards to building styles, garage locations, site layouts, landscaping, colours, materials, and considerations to preserve the uniqueness of the community. Feedback received via various engagement initiatives was considered and incorporated in the final Urban Form and Architectural Assessment. The final draft of the study, along with considerations, were presented to the community in the third tier of public engagement.

Urban Design


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Cities are always changing, as they are the expression of the constant interaction between natural and cultural forces in the environment. These urban landscapes have evolved slowly over time, and as human activity has changed, they have acquired many layers.

By identifying past urbanization patterns within Sherwood Park’s mature neighbourhoods, insight can be gained into the resulting changes in the current landscape pattern. A series of aerial photographs of the mature neighbourhoods over successive decades is a simple but effective tool to presenting, and understanding how urban development has evolved.

The following aerial images in this section provide a comprehensive picture of the social, economic and productive changes within the mature neighbourhoods and help reveal:

Å patterns and complex processes of urban growth;

Å transformation of rural life styles into urban ones;

Å spread of urban development;

Å density of new urbanization; and

Å changes in the physical landscape.

Sherwood Park, 2005

The full geographic extent of Sherwood Park’s eleven (11) Mature Neighbourhoods can clearly be seen in this aerial photo taken in 2005. Further large-scale urban development has occurred beyond the confines of the project boundaries.

History


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1950: This aerial photograph depicts the future boundaries of Sherwood Park’s eleven (11) Mature Neighbourhoods. The predominant land use was agriculture . Very little transportation system improvements can be seen.

1962

1950

1962: Over the next decade, urban development patterns of Sherwood Park’s Mature Neighbourhoods take shape adjacent to Highway 630 (Future Wye Road). At this stage in time Sherwood Heights is almost built-out, while the preliminary housing stages of Brentwood & Broadmoor Estates are apparent.


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1970

This aerial photograph depicts the inclusion of two (2) entirely new subdivisions – Maplewood and Westboro. Construction of new roads is evident in the northernmost neighbourhood of Mills Haven. Note: the interchange development along Highway 216.

1967

1967: By this date, the urban development patterns within the neighbourhoods of Sherwood Heights, Brentwood and Broadmoor Estates have shaped the future southern boundaries of Sherwood Park. Initial institutional and commercial facilities such as strip malls and shopping centres have also been introduced.


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1976

1982

To this date, the addition of another entirely new subdivision is revealed – Glen Allan. The neighbourhood of Mills Haven is fully built out as is Maplewood, Brentwood, Broadmoor Estates and Westboro. The formation of two major highway systems north and south of Sherwood Park is also evident in the form of Baseline Road and Wye Road. Plus, Highway 216 has been significantly redeveloped.

The existing urban development and patterns of Sherwood Park in this aerial photograph are almost complete. Only Centre-in-the-Park remains to be fully built out. Peripheral subdivisions beyond the initial mature neighbourhoods can be seen in their early infrastructure and road layout.


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The urban development and patterns of Sherwood Park are now complete in this aerial photograph. Even more subdivisions on the peripheries of the mature neighbourhoods have been introduced, as well as adjacent industrial lands

What makes Sherwood Park’s mature neighbourhoods especially interesting is their ability to absorb new residential improvements while

retaining the best of the original man-made and natural resources accumulated since their founding. The following aerial photographs have

highlighted the urban growth and patterns within Sherwood Park. Each neighborhood’s urban richness - visual interest, historical interest and

cultural interest - comes from conserving the old and blending it with the new in a way that captures the progression of time and the evolution of

the city's form.

1987


Section B : Typical Street and Its Components


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Typical Streets are the streets where the original character of the typical development is still clearly visible and identifiable. These streets are used as a representative sample of each of the neighbourhoods in this study. The typical streets were selected through the process of site visits and consultation with the Citizen Task Force. In the first open house held on October 29th, 2014 the typical streets selection was confirmed and in some cases revised by public feedback.

Components of a typical street include:

Å Massing

Å Siting

Å Building Typology

Å Garages

Å Windows

Å Roof Styles

Å Architectural Styles

Å Colours

Å Materials

Å Landscaping

Å Sidewalk (*Monowalk /**Separate Walk)

* Monowalk-directly adjacent to a road throughway (thoroughfare/motorway) and is not separated by a landscaped boulevard.

** Separate Walk -separated from a throughway by a landscaped boulevard.

What is a Typical Street?

Typical Street Location

Glen Allan Neighbourhood


Ma

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Massing is an arrangement of building /streetscape

elements.

The scale of buildings and elements of the streetscape contribute to the scale of massing. Elements that contribute to massing include: building shape, size, setbacks from the streets and adjacent buildings or land uses, door and window placements, rooflines, architectural style and elements, landscaping, garage location, placement of boulevard trees, front yard landscaping, and fencing.

At the local street level of urban design, ‘building height‘ plays a critical role in overall streetscape and its impact on people. If the separation distance between two neighbouring buildings is not suffice, a taller building can cast shadow on the adjacent building or majority of the yard space, restricting neighbour’s access to the sunlight.

Two storey buildings, when built at a minimum setback, have a dominating impact on the streetscape and may look out of proportion as compared to a neighbouring house. However, when houses are further setback or the second storey is stepped back from the lower storey; the perceived dominance is reduced. The presence of a mature tree in the front yard may also reduce the impact of the building height on a pedestrian and the overall streetscape, by screening the home.

Roof angles impact building heights and overall building massing. Steeper roof angles increase the building height.

A large variation in roof angles along a street or on a block, may break the continuity and harmony of the rooflines that we see in Strathcona County’s mature neighbourhoods.

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Massing

HIGH PITCH

MEDIUM PITCH

LOW PITCH 2/12 (9.5O) 3/12 (14.0O) 4/12 (18.4O) 6/12 (26.6O)

9/12 (36.9O)8/12 (33.7O) 12/12 (45.0O)

15/12 (51.3O) 16/12 (53.1O) 18/12 (56.3O)

SPAN

SLOPERISEROOF PITCH = RISE/SPAN


Sit

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Setbacks are used to place buildings and garages at a predetermined distance from respective property lines within residential lots to conform to regulatory requirements. The purpose of setbacks is to:

Å Create usable outdoor spaces;

Å Ensure that streets and yards have adequate sunlight;

Å Maintain privacy between neighbouring properties;

Å Provide access to all sides of the building for maintenance, and repair without requiring access to adjacent properties; and,

Å May also allow for public utilities to access the buildings, and for access to utility meters.

Yard setback requirements are typically regulated by the applicable land use bylaw district applied to the mature neighbourhood subdivision in which the residential lot is located.

A building cannot be located in a required setback space, however, certain parts of a building maybe allowed to project into the setback space, including: stairs; window wells; eave overhangs; and platform structures such as verandas, balconies, raised terraces and decks.

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Siting


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A split-level home is a style of house in which the floor levels are staggered, so that the “main” level of the house is partway between the upper and lower floors. The main level typically contains common living areas (a living room, kitchen, dining room, and/or family room).

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Single Family

Building Typology

Single level/bungalow home is a style of house where all living areas are located on a single level and there are no stairs between living spaces.

Glen Allan Woodbridge Farms

Woodbridge FarmsWoodbridge Farms

Woodbridge FarmsVillage on the Lake

Glen AllanWoodbridge Farms

Spl it Level (1 1/2 - 2 Storey)

Single Level (1 Storey)


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Single Family

Building Typology

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Bi-Level (1 1/2 Storey)

S emi-Detached (1-2 Storey)

Bi-level house plans are typically a one story house plan that has been raised up and another level of living is provided on the ground floor or raised basement floor. The entrance to the home is placed midway between the upper and lower levels such that a staircase leads both up and down to reach the floors of the house.

Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin. The semi-detached homes found in the Mature Neighbourhood are in single level or bi-level housing forms.

Maplewood Broadmoor Estates

Mills HavenGlen Allan

Centre in the ParkMaplewood

MaplewoodSherwood Heights


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Multi-Family

Building Typology

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Row/Town House

Apar tment

Row /Town House is a style of medium-density housing where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls

Apartments are a style of home in a large building containing a number of residential suites

Woodbridge Farms

Centre in the Park


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Commercial

Institutional

Str ip M al l

Centre in the Park - School

Maplewood - Strip Mall

Mills Haven - Church

A strip mall is a series of attached ground-oriented commercial retail units, often located behind a surface parking lot.


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Garages

Garages play an important role in building massing and street appeal. This holds true to Sherwood Parks mature neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods offer a wide variety of garage forms and locations to the residents; which include:

Rear detached with front driveway

No garage

Rear detached with side driveway (corner lots)

Front attached protruding off front façade

Side porch

Front drive under

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Windows

Picture Window

For unobstructed views where ventilation is not a concern, picture windows are ideal. They maximize views, as well as bring in the most available light. This makes them popular for living rooms, dining rooms and master bedrooms. They do not open or allow ventilation.

Triple Lite Horizontal Sliding Window

A window in which both the left and right sashes operate and slide horizontally past a middle fixed sash.

Bow/Bay Window

Bay/Bow windows extend from a home, and adds an architectural accent that brings interest to an exterior wall. Bay/Bow windows can be flanked with casement or single hung windows for ventilation and additional light.

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Double Hung Window

Double hung windows can be an effective design element for ventilation when combined with picture or arch/radius windows. They’re frequently used in bedrooms, bathrooms and many other rooms in a house.

Circle Top Window

Circle top windows are most often used to accent rectangular window styles, such as casement or picture, and are also sometimes found in upper stories, at the top of staircases.

Double Lite Horizontal Slider Window

Double lite horizontal sliding windows are popular as an easy-opening window over kitchen counters and sinks and for providing a contemporary look. Both ends slide open without using any exterior or interior space.

Dormer Windows

Dormer windows protrude from a plane of a sloping roof surface and are structural elements of a building.

Casement Window

Casement windows are hinged at the side and open outward. It provides excellent ventilation; at times literally reaching out and catching the breeze. It looks like a narrow picture window because, unlike double hung or sliding windows, it has no rail to obstruct the view.


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Roof Styles

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Although rarely the first thing you notice, a roof says much about a home’s style. A roof can be the most distinguishing element of a home and greatly affect its overall look and style. Because all roof types are tailored to meet certain needs, it is worth learning the different roofing styles available, and how they differ in shape, detail and design.

Roof shapes differ greatly from region to region. The main factors that influence the shape of roofs are the:

Å climate;

Å materials available for roof structure; and

Å outer covering.

Roof shapes vary from almost flat to steeply pitched. They can be arched or domed; a single flat sheet or a complex arrangement of slopes, gables and hips. The illustrations shown on this page highlight the great variety of rooflines that can be introduced.

The shape and design of a roof is built according to certain requirements and functionality. The gable shaped roof is arguably the most commonly used roof style within the mature neighbourhoods of Sherwood Park .Its triangular shaped slope allows for rain, snow, leaves and any other kind of debris or weather damage, to simply fall off the roof and away from the building. Although gabled roofs can differ in their pitch, they all serve the same purpose of efficient run-off of water, and therefore, also protection against its damaging effects. Hipped roofs, on the other hand, are highly suitable for extreme weather conditions as the shape of a hipped roof, along with its complex internal framing, braces against strong winds and even snow fall.


Thousands of families who never even dreamed of home ownership suddenly found themselves in the market for a new house. Housing demand, already high, exploded. This was the initial market forces that established the residential architectural house styles found in the first mature neighbourhoods in Sherwood Park. As Strathcona County and the citizens of Sherwood Park prospered; further market demand for newer architectural house styles grew.

House styles during the middle decades of the twentieth century were entirely new and purposefully created for casual indoor-outdoor living: open floor plans “Great Rooms”; patios and decks, sliding glass doors, and large picture windows all helped bring the outdoors inside.

Many house styles were made popular from American housing trends in the late 1940’s that quickly migrated north into Canada. For instance, the complete absence of desert summers did not keep the Spanish Revival housing style from appearing in Sherwood Park. Similarly, the appearance of the Cape Cod housing style emerged despite Alberta being completely land-locked and thousands of kilometres away from the Atlantic Ocean. Finally, the casual, west coast style of living promised by the open, one story Ranch housing style struck a chord with many Post-War home-buyers.

Sherwood Park’s mature neighbourhoods have their own architectural character. This character can be made up of multiple architectural design styles. Homes in these neighbourhoods usually do not replicate one specific style category, nor an exact architectural style. Instead some of the elements of an architectural style may be found in each of these homes.

Architectural style refers to the various features of a building that can be characterized by a specific time in history. These features include elements such as form, method of construction, building materials, and regional character.

Residential architectural house styles contributed to the creation of an original municipality (Sherwood Park) where none had existed before, and invented an entirely new Albertan lifestyle found in the suburbs.

The Great Depression of the 1930’s depressed, among other things, home building in Alberta; however, the end of World War II altered this trend. By 1946 the demand for new housing had been growing in Alberta for years. A strong economy, record number of marriages in 1946 and again in 1947, as well as a record number of births; the beginning of the ‘Baby Boom’ generation, created the demand for good, clean, and affordable housing.

For the first time, the average worker (policeman, electrician, bus driver) could own a home; a solid, well built, home did not cost more than $10,000.

Architec tural St yles

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The dominant architectural styles found in Sherwood Park are:

Å Craftsman

Å Prairie

Å Colonial

Å Cape Cod

Å Tudor

Å Thatch

Å Spanish Revival

Å Ranch

Å Post Modern/contemporary

Many of these dominant house styles probably would not have gained much of a toe-hold in the mature neighbourhoods of Sherwood Park were it not for a confluence in the 1960s of three unique events:

1) New housing design styles were more connected to, and more attuned to, nature than the popular two-story styles of the period. Outdoor spaces such as patios and decks were joined to indoor spaces by minimal partitions, including glass walls and sliding patio doors, to create the impression that the two spaces were actually one larger space.

2) Relatively inexpensive land in suburban Sherwood Park meant that even the modestly affluent could afford wider lots. It was not until the 1980’s, when land began to become increasingly expensive, that these dominant house styles started seeing a decline.

3) Possibly most important, convenient and cheap central home heating (and, later, air-conditioning) had become widespread by the 1950’s. Electricity and natural gas powered the post-war furnace which allowed more open floor plans and was easily adjusted by a thermostat. It made American house styles possible in cold climates like Sherwood Park.

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Spanish Revival House Style Cape Cod House Style Ranch House Style Tudor House Style


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Cape Cod Style Craftsman Style

Features

Cape Cod is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. The Pilgrims designed houses that provided safety from New England’s extreme winter climate. The steep roof characteristic of New England homes also prevented excessive amounts of snow from accumulating on the house. To fight the chill, the Pilgrims built extensive central chimneys and low ceilinged rooms to conserve heat. To deal with stormy winds, shutters were put on the windows which is now an aesthetic element instead of a functional one today.

Å Usually in one and a half storey

Å Steeply pitched roofs

Å Rectangle in shape

Å Door in the centre

Features

The American Craftsman style, or the American Arts and Crafts movement, is an American domestic decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art movement it remained popular into the 1930’s. However, in decorative arts and architectural design it has continued with numerous revivals and restoration projects through present times.

Å Low pitched front or side gable roof

Å Dormer windows

Å Overhanging eaves

Å Exposed (sometime extended and decoratively shaped) rafters and beams

Å Decorative braces under the gables

Å Front porches and decks

Å Large windows with multi-paned top sashes and single paned bottom sashes

Å Stone external chimney


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Colonial Style Prairie Style

Features

The Colonial house style consists of many styles built during the “Colonial” period (early 18th Century) in North America’s history when England, Spain, and France had colonies scattered across what is now the United States (U.S.) and Eastern Canada This style was popularized in the southern U.S. by popular southern architects such as Thomas Jefferson. During this time, the French colonies in Louisiana developed the French Colonial style and further west, the Spanish Colonial style evolved. Both Spanish and French Colonial styles are very rare in today’s popular

Colonial styles.

Å Styles - Dutch, English, Spanish, French, Georgian

Å Symmetrical (sometimes with addition to the end)

Å Entrance in the middle of the front

Å Symmetrical placement of windows

Å Window grids that create the look of multiple panes

Å Paired or central chimney

Å Medium or steeply pitched roof

Features

Originally intended to blend in with flat, prairie landscapes and immensely popular between 1893 and 1920, prairie style homes have distinctive features such as low-pitched roofs, overhanging eaves, a central chimney and an open floor plan. Prairie Style is

said to be the first original American architectural style.

Å Horizontal lines

Å Flat or low pitched hipped roof

Å Broad/ oversized eaves

Å Central chimney

Å Clerestorey windows

Å Large picture window, rows of windows

Å Belt course between storeys


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Ranch Style Thatch Style

Features

Ranch is a domestic architectural style originating in the United States. The ranch house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile and minimal use of exterior and interior decoration. The houses fuse modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period working ranches to create a very informal and casual living style. First built in the 1920’s, the ranch style was extremely popular with the

booming post-war middle class of the 1940’s to 1970s.

Å Single storey

Å Low pitched gable roof

Å Horizontal – long, narrow, low to ground

Å Large windows sliding glass / picture windows

Å Sliding glass doors leading to patio

Å Wood or brick exterior

Å Attached garage

Features

The style of thatch is most commonly seen in the Gulf today, and indeed around the world, has its roots in European communities such as England, Holland , and Germany where it was used in poor communities as a cheap and readily available roofing ma-terial. The majority of the population were engaged in subsist-ence agriculture, so it made sense to use the leftover straw to keep their houses warm and dry.

Å Traditional roof material thatch

Å Steeply pitched roof

Å Brick, stone or stucco walls

Å Exposed structural wood is common


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Tudor StyleSpanish Revival Style

Features

The Spanish Revival Style is a United States architectural stylistic movement arising in the early 20th century based on the Spanish Colonial architecture of the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

Å Influence from Spain, Italy and Mediterranean countries

Å One storey

Å Curves and arches

Å Stucco – white, textured

Å Low pitched roofs

Å Wood doors and gates often feature iron details

Å Railings across windows

Å Courtyards and patios

Å Arcades

Features

The Tudor architectural style is the final development of Medieval architecture in England, during the Tudor period (1485–1603) and even beyond. It followed the Perpendicular style and, although superseded by Elizabethan architecture in domestic building of any pretensions to fashion, the Tudor style

long retained its hold on English taste.

Å Exposed (hand cut) beams

Å Steeply pitched side gable roof

Å Brick or stone is a major cladding material

Å Stucco is usually used for second storey

Å Masonry chimneys (large, sometimes multiple, decorative tops)

Å Tall narrow grouped windows

STRATHCONA COUNTY | MATURE NEIGHBOURHOOD URBAN FORM AND ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER ASSESSMENT26

Post-Modern/Contemporary

Features

Post-modern architecture is evolved from Modernism. Modernism is viewed as excessively minimalist, anonymous, monotonous, and boring; whereas postmodernism has a sense of humor. The style often combines two or more very different elements. A Postmodern house may combine traditional with invented forms or use familiar shapes in surprising, unexpected ways. In other words, postmodern houses often don’t have anything in common with one another, other than their lack of commonality.

Å sense of “anything goes”: Forms filled with humor, irony, ambiguity, contradiction

Å Juxtaposition of styles: Blend of traditional,contemporary, and newly-invented forms

Å Exaggerated or abstract traditional detailing

Å Materials or decorations drawn from far away sources


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The exterior colours shown on this page were inspired by the schemes, styles and elements found in key architectural house styles throughout each mature neighbourhood.

Typically a Spanish Revival house would utilize bright reds and oranges,whereas on a craftsman bungalow you would find softer shades of yellow, green, and blue. For very old houses, the exterior paint colors traditionally emulated natural building materials like stone, brick, tile, copper, bronze, and exposed timbers.

The following exterior paint colours belong to the 20th Century Collection by California Paints called Atomic Age and was typical to many of the earliest mature neighbourhoods in Sherwood Park.

Colour

Primar y Ex terior Colours

Traditionally, houses within the mature neighbourhoods were limited to 3 or 4 exterior colours, including those of fixed elements like roof and cladding. Below are historically appropriate colour palettes using modern colour themes.

Primary colours were determined from houses within each respective model street and based on:

Å Visible original colours (what was on it when it was built);

Å Appropriate-to-the-period colours (what could have been when the house was new); and

Å Colours that might have been during another decade.

Organic colours (or ‘earth’ colours) tend to work the best outdoors, as they are so compatible with the natural elements and were initially used as primary exterior colours within all of the mature neighbourhoods.

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Ex terior Accent Colours

The accent colours shown were used to highlight architectural details, such as window trim, accent moulding, doors or shutters.

Doors and window shutters had different functions, so they typically were not the same color. Similarly, soffits were painted a lighter color, especially if the overhang was deep to reflect light into the home.

Traditionally, accent colours were limited to 6 or 7 exterior colours including such given colors as roof materials and façade materials.

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Ex terior Housing M aterials :

Listed below are the most popular materials for exterior siding materials found:

1. Stucco + Synthetic Siding:

Many homes built after the 1950’s used a variety of stucco applications. Stucco is essentially a cement product that’s applied to a wire mesh affixed to the sheathing on the house. Tinting the stucco color meant that homeowners never needed to paint. While stucco can be applied to homes with brick and stone surfaces, the classic look is commonly found on Ranch and Spanish Revival exteriors.

2. Stone + Stone Veneer Siding:

Stone is the most durable of all building materials. Granite, limestone, slate, and other types of stone add texture, visual interest and are nearly impervious to the weather. Precast stone veneers and facings are generally more lightweight and affordable.

3. Fiber Cement Siding:

Fiber cement siding offers the appearance of wood, stucco, or masonry but at a lower cost, plus it is fireproof, termite-proof, and may have a long-term warranty. Fiber cement siding has become a popular siding choice for many homeowners and is available in a range of styles and textures, factory painting or finishes. It comes in various forms like panels, boards and shingles.

4. Wood Clapboard Siding:

Wood siding is natural, attractive, and comes in a variety of forms but it requires upkeep. Wood siding comes in clapboard (also known as lap or bevel siding) that uses planks of wood installed horizontally with an upper piece that overlaps the lower piece. Wood clapboard was commonly used for bungalow, Cape Cod and Craftsman house exteriors. Wood siding offers a rich look and is durable.

Stucco + Synthetic Siding Stone + Stone Veneer Siding Cement Fiber Siding Wood Clapboard Siding


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5. Cedar Shingle Siding:

Homes sided in shingles (also called “shakes”) are made of natural cedar. The shingles are usually stained browns, grays, or other earthen colors. Shakes offer the natural look of real wood, but usually require less maintenance than wood clapboard.

6. Brick + Brick Veneer Siding:

Made of fired clay, brick comes in different sizes, textures, and in a wide variety of earthy, eye-pleasing colors. Although it is expensive, brick is desirable because it can last centuries. Quality brick veneers are also attractive and durable, although they are less expensive and don’t have the longevity of solid brick. Brick is commonly found on Colonial, Tudor and Thatch house exteriors.

Cedar Shingle Siding Brick + Brick Veneer Siding

Engineered Wood Siding Vinyl Siding

7. Engineered Wood Siding:

Engineered wood, or composite wood, is made with wood products that are combined with glues to form boards and panels. Oriented strand board (OSB), hardboard, and veneered plywood are examples of engineered wood products. Engineered wood usually comes in panels that may be molded to create the look of traditional clapboards.

8. Vinyl Siding:

Vinyl is made from a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic and is usually less expensive to purchase and install than most other exterior siding materials. There are, however, drawbacks. Vinyl can crack, fade, and is also controversial because of environmental concerns.

The low cost, versatility and easy maintenance of vinyl siding has helped it become the most popular siding choice within all of the mature neighbourhoods. The variety of colors and styles available helps explain this siding’s popularity.


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Landscapes reflect the relationship between people and their neighbourhood, and the part it plays in forming the setting to our everyday lives. People value landscapes for many different reasons, not all of them related to traditional concepts of aesthetics and beauty. Landscapes can have social and community value, as an important part of people’s day to day lives. It can contribute to a sense of identity, well-being, enjoyment and inspiration. Landscapes have economic value, providing the context for economic activity and often being a central factor in attracting other residents or commercial interests.

The purpose of this section is to assess the landscape within each of the mature neighbourhoods of Sherwood Park by identifying landscape elements of character and distinctiveness as well as value. Numerous qualities and characteristics within each neighbourhood were observed and, include a small number of the following:

Verandas: A veranda is a roofed platform along the outside of a house. It’s level with the ground floor and often extends across both the front and the sides of the structure. It can be partly enclosed by a railing.

Porches: A porch is a covered entrance, or an outdoor seating area on a building. Porches over the main front entry door are more common than verandas in many of the mature neighbourhoods in Strathcona County.

Decks : A deck is a flat, usually roofless, platform adjoining a house. Decks are typically made of lumber, elevated from the ground and generally enclosed by a railing. In some cases, decks can also be covered by a canopy or pergola.

Patio : A patio is a paved, outdoor area adjoining a house, generally used for dining or recreation, and often decorated with plants and outdoor furniture.

Foundation Plantings: At the most basic level, foundation plantings are simply beds of plants (often dominated by shrubs) installed along house foundations.

Boulevard Trees: Boulevard Tree is a regional term for a planted tree between a curb and a sidewalk along a boulevard or street.

Ornamental Plants: Ornamental trees and garden plants are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design. An ornamental tree is one you use as part of your landscape for purely aesthetic reasons.

Hedges: A fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs



Section C : Individual Neighbourhoods

Documents

Mature Neighbourhood Urban Form And Architectural