The American Front Porch

A Social History of a Social Space

"[The] spatial practice of a society is revealed through the deciphering of its space. [Social space is the] space of society, of social life." - Henri Lefebvre

From the 1870s until the 1930s the front porch was a ubiquitous part of the North American suburban landscape. Emblematic of a desire to connect with nature as well as a mythical colonial past, it was actually a product of and impetus to changing gender roles, modern building practices, new technologies, and uniquely North American urban expansion patterns. This project sets out to explore the complex life of a complex space.  More >

History of the Front Porch

An experimental history visualization.

The Porch and (Sub)urban Space

Mapping the porch on the urban American landscape.

Porch Stories

Dispatches from the front porch.