Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: fencing

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

Perhaps when people react to the concept of "fence" it's because they are 
thinking generic institutional chain-link fence. Many sorts of barriers 
could constitute a fence. A dense hedge, for example. (Some combine and 
put in chain-link but with hedging too.) Or a collection of 
originally-painted old doors and windows, or a fence with interesting 
things woven into it, or sculptures, or mosaics. 

Currently at RoseWind we are "fencing" what must be about 1000 sq feet of 
common house patio. The stucco walls will include niches for plants or 
art, and will incorporate decorative tiles, windows and peepholes, funny 
concrete faces, and all sorts of other personal touches. The top of the 
wall will be curvy, and will include sockets where we can put poles with 
banners. Plans also have some low lighting possibilities. 

On many projects it's helpful to back up a step and ask "what need are we 
trying to fill?" and "what other ways can we fill this need?" The answers 
sometimes reveal solutions that don't look like what was first proposed. 

Key to any fence, also, are the gates. Toddlers LOVE to figure out gates. 
So how to put the catches up too high for the littlest children, but 
still accessible for people in wheelchairs? 

We have access to the street and parking lot, but mostly children who are 
little enough not to understand are also little enough that someone is 
watching them. 

Lynn at RoseWind
www.rosewind.org
Port Townsend WA
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