Stoops in Brooklyn

Originating from the time when New York City was based on single family housing, stoops as access to the private sphere is a common part of the cityscape in
residential areas.

The social aspect of the stoop is as historical as the architectural element itself, as it encourages residents to participate in life in the street. Incidental encounters
of informal conversations with the neighbours or passersby as well as a general  self-regulating quality as Jane Jacobs calls it in her 1962 book 'the death and 
life of great american cities'.

Concrete activities based on the stoop includes stoop sales (the yard-less yard sale) and stoop ball (popular in Brooklyn after WWII).

The opportunity to customize the stoop improves the sense of identity among residents.