Within a residential back yard site, some typical conditions are seen throughout neighborhoods in the United States. We will present some of these conditions for you to examine your own back yard for challenges and opportunities. For a Landscape Architect, these are the challenges to solve when hired for a back yard design.
Three primary functions define the anatomy of the residential back yard. Most elements found in a backyard serve one of these functions.
1. Outdoor living and entertaining
2. Recreation
3. Service/Utilitarian
Chairs, tables, grills, fire pits, etc. serve the outdoor living function.
While a swimming pool, playground set, horseshoe pit, or tire swing are elements that contribute to recreation.
Service and utilitarian elements are things like storage sheds, air conditioning units, or trash bin storage.
These functions don’t always go together nicely but must be located somewhere. Oftentimes, they are placed close to each other, due to a lack of available open space in a typical residential back yard.
The number of elements and activities that occur in the back yard makes it the most used outdoor area of a residence. This also makes it one of the most difficult spaces to organize and design.
The cover photograph of this article shows a space designed by Harrison’s Landscaping based in Sydney, NSW (IG: @harrisonslandscaping). This is a great example of blending the three primary functions while addressing challenges beautifully.
A Landscape Architect shines at organizing and designing a residential back yard to deliver a space that serves the three primary functions, addresses the challenges of a typical site, and is aesthetically pleasing.
Reach out to us if you want to bounce ideas or learn more. For professional design services, visit our Residential Design page to review our various design packages.
“A Landscape Architect creates spaces. Outdoor rooms. A vibe, a feeling, a sense of place. Comfort, privacy, safety, and peace. Plants are just one tool landscape architects use to help achieve the sense of place they envision, but they aren’t the only ones.”
Judd Lee, Jr, PLA
Typical Residential Back Yard Conditions
1. Undersized Outdoor Living Areas
2. Lack of Privacy
3. Walled or Fenced Residential Back Yards
4. Harsh Microclimate
5. Lack of Character or Interest
Undersized Outdoor Living Areas
Many sites have outdoor living and entertaining spaces that are too small or even non-existent. These spaces are usually terraces or patios constructed with wood, brick, or concrete.
In a normal neighborhood, an average area might be between 100 and 150 square feet (about 10-12 feet wide by 10-12 feet long). That can accommodate a table and a few chairs.
The challenge and opportunity involve determining the needs of the resident and providing an outdoor living and entertaining space that is correctly sized to accommodate the number of people expected at events.
Some yards may not have the available space to accommodate large groups. That’s okay too. But that’s even more justification for thoughtful design and organization of the space to maximize enjoyment.
Lack of Privacy
As mentioned, terraces and patios are for relaxation and entertainment. Sadly, these spaces can be uncomfortable to use when they lack a sense of enclosure or privacy. When the patio is open to the views of surrounding neighbors, residents can feel very uncomfortable. Most people do not enjoy being on display.
Designers must address the challenge by providing that sense of enclosure without creating a space that feels too isolated. There is a fine balance between the two.
Walled or Fenced Residential Back Yards
Back yards in some parts of the United States are completely walled off. Depending upon the height and materials, these walls and fences can completely isolate the space from the outside world. While some privacy is necessary, blocking all views of the landscapes beyond is detrimental to the sense of place.
Humans enjoy gazing into the distance and observing the world from different vantage points. An ideal scenario is to provide viewing opportunities of objects and landscapes near and far, while still providing adequate levels of privacy for outdoor gathering spaces.
Landscape architects evaluate a site to identify views to be preserved and enhanced, as well as views from surrounding properties to be blocked. A back yard that is completely walled off makes this a tough challenge to overcome.
Harsh Microclimate
Patios and terraces should be located and designed with climate and weather in mind. For example, south or west facing outdoor living areas may be too hot and sunny in the summer months to be enjoyed. On the other hand, north-side terraces will be shady, wet, damp, and exposed to cold winter winds.
People just don’t want to use outdoor spaces that are hot, cold, wet, or windy. Residential back yards must be designed and organized to provide outdoor living and entertaining spaces that consider sun, wind, and moisture.
Lack of Character and Interest
A lot of residential sites have plain, boring patios. The builder created a concrete slab just large enough to exit the back door and have a minimal area to move around. These areas lack character and interest. Consequently, they are uninviting. Uninspiring.
It doesn’t sound too appealing to go sit on a cold, concrete slab looking out onto an open expanse of lawn, does it? Or better yet, into your neighbor’s back yard?
Landscape architects work with clients to create elements that residents can observe and interact with. Things like flowering plants, pollinator habitats to attract birds and butterflies, or sculptures. They also introduce a variety of colors, textures, and materials to introduce character into the built environment.
Closing Thoughts
The challenge of a typical residential back yard design is to blend attractive aesthetics with the arranging of the outdoor living/entertaining, recreation, and service area elements. Landscape architects must work closely with their clients to understand their aesthetic preferences. This blending of art, design, functional planning, and construction is the unique value Landscape Architects bring to their clients.