Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Garage doors in the front are efficient use of space and easiest to drive in and out from requiring the least amount of space and turns. They are logical but not always aesthetically pleasing. I am an engineer
As a student of urban planning, I disagree with this view point because this comment about "efficiency" is devoid of the human and social context of homes. When garages, rather than welcoming front porches, assume the largest focal point of the front of the home, the emphasis is upon the car-dependent commute, and not upon the human interaction of homes on a street. (Historically, garages were only placed in the front of the home when suburbs exploded in the US in the 50s and 60s.) In older neighborhoods, garages were placed behind the home with the garage door facing an alley. Trash cans were picked up by garbage trucks in the back alley. Front facades of homes often had generous, sometimes covered, porches with seating areas and sidewalks to encourage interaction with neighbors.
Besides, talking about space efficiency is ridiculous when people believe that a family of 4 "needs" a home larger than 2000 sq ft.