In the 1920′s, Clarence Perry introduced a concept that he referred to as “The Neighborhood Unit“. The image below is a sketch published by Perry in 1929 illustrating the relationships between the residential components of a neighborhood and the uses that could easily be traversed to and from by foot. Perry utilized the 5-minute walk (See The Five-Minute Walk: More Than Just a Circle for more information) to define walking distances from residential to non-residential components, in particular Perry was very concerned about the walkability to and from schools.
Full Story: The Neighborhood Unit: How Does Perry’s Concept Apply to Modern Day Planning?
Clarence Perry's "Neighborhood Unit" Diagram, 1929.
