Historic development of individual dwelling areas in various types of detached houses shows considerable variations in structure and in habitation potentials. High dwelling potentials was primarily seen in the close connection and functional and formal entwinement of interior and exterior areas, which gave them a distinctive habitation quality, especially in garden spaces. In recent times, the dwelling function of gardens has almost completely disappeared, which is essentially reflected in the relationship of a house towards its physical environment, which is characterized by distinctive structural and social alienation. In consequence, use of gardens for dwelling is losing its significance to other, anthropogenically less important functions, such as gardening, parking, etc. This type of habitation structure, which uses up the largest respective land areas, thus loses its main advantage over systems of collective habitation. Poor knowledge and research into the phenomenon of links between interior and exterior dwelling areas (the house and the garden), combined with the lack of socio-psychological understanding of dwelling qualities, have resulted in the absence of criteria and parameters for a more purposeful planning of single-family houses and their environments. The survey has established environmental and psychological perspectives and individual preferences concerning gardens and their constituent elements. The results obtained have confirmed the hypothesis that, among various types of individual habitation structures, the key factor of garden dwelling capacity are the physical characteristics of house and garden. Close structural connection between the interior and the exterior is particularly important, with the conceptual design of the garden providing maximum intimacy. Dwelling quality of a detached house therefore depends long-term on integrated and mutually harmonized structural concepts of the house and the garden.

dwelling potential of garden; detached single-family house; garden

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia