New England Diary

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Nostalgic or futurist Serenbe

Houses in Serenbe.

From Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com

Serenbe, an “intentional community’’ outside Atlanta, which is infamous for sprawl development, speaks to the desire of many Americans for a return to the idea of close-knit towns in some partly mythical past and/or to go to a utopian future where people can live close to nature without giving up such urban pleasures as high-class entertainment, nice restaurants and shops.  Serenbe is a mix of single-family houses (in different styles), townhouses and apartments and incorporates many energy-saving “green”” ideas. It’s not cookie-cutter. It also looks a bit small-town New Englandish.

It is, however, a bit precious. As Mimi Kirk wrote in an article about Serenbe, “In some ways, Serenbe is like a less-gritty version of a gentrified urban enclave, one that’s surrounded by woods instead of less-affluent neighborhoods.’’ In any case, sociologically and environmentally, it’s a major improvement over the usual suburban sprawl of ranch houses and McMansions.]

To read Ms. Kirk’s article, please hit this link:

 

https://www.citylab.com/design/2018/03/the-seductive-power-of-a-suburban-utopia/555329/