Planning for privacy in residential developments involves buffering units from one another, yet many communities are shaped by close proximity. In these environments, separation cannot rely on space alone and must instead be embedded within the architecture itself.
Single Family
At Hunters Point, privacy is shaped as much by proximity as it is by environmental regulation. Homes sit close to one another along a narrow site, leaving little room for lateral separation. Flood zone requirements elevate primary living spaces above grade, but the architectural response goes further by carefully controlling how those elevated spaces engage adjacent homes. The transition from ground level to living space reinforces this privacy strategy, clearly distinguishing public arrival from private daily life while allowing the architecture to quietly manage exposure rather than relying on distance alone.
Side elevations are intentionally restrained, with limited window openings of smaller size or high fixed glass that reduce direct views between neighboring units. Instead, primary glazing is oriented toward water views and outdoor living areas, allowing interiors to feel open without exposing residents to close adjacencies. This approach uses elevation, orientation and selective transparency together, ensuring that even within a tight footprint, homes maintain a sense of comfort and separation.
Build to Rent
Canvas at Denton approaches privacy through strategic site planning within a build to rent framework. Private side yards are integrated into the homes, an uncommon feature in rental communities, and their placement is carefully coordinated to limit direct views between neighboring residences. Homes are staggered and oriented to create clear visual breaks, allowing outdoor spaces to function as true extensions of the interior rather than exposed edges. This planning strategy reinforces a sense of ownership and personal space typically associated with for-sale housing while maintaining the efficiency required for rental development.
Multifamily Infill
Within a multifamily infill context, Lantern Terrace addresses privacy through careful alignment and sectional control, with open-air corridors playing a key role in the architectural strategy. Exterior circulation is positioned to manage adjacency while maintaining access to light and air, allowing corridors to function as transition zones rather than direct interfaces with living spaces. Units span the full lot width, extending from the corridor on one side to the exterior wall on the other. This configuration provides each unit with enhanced privacy and access to natural light on two sides. To complement smaller unit sizes, the building provides active shared social areas protected by clear transition points to individual living spaces, allowing density to coexist with comfort through restraint rather than enclosure.
Across these three settings, privacy is not achieved through isolation. It is shaped through architectural decisions that respond directly to site conditions and programmatic demands. Elevation, orientation and outdoor space each become tools for managing exposure. As residential development continues to adapt to tighter sites and evolving housing models, privacy achieved through architecture remains a defining measure of quality and long-term appeal.
These projects were featured in Volume 15 of our inspire magazine. Check it out here!
