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For months we've been reading
and hearing about how builders
have been downsizing both the
size and specification levels of the
homes they build to cater to today's
more frugal buyers. In the first stage of that
transformation, it was a practical move and
often catered more to function than form.
But now that industry architects
and building pros have become more
comfortable with homes that are smaller
yet also more affordable, urban-oriented yet
energy-efficient, these second-stage homes
are showing the type of creativity that win
awards. At the 2010 Gold Nugget Awards this
past June, however, the winners demonstrated
that only the right combination of form and
function will ultimately
win the accolades of
the most important
judges -- the buyers.
In the case of
1Mission in San Diego,
Calif., developer CLB
Partners chose to
restore a somewhat
faded city block more
to its 1920s glory at the
street level while copying architectural cues
from surrounding buildings for the upper
floors. Set at the junction of the very walkable
neighborhoods of Hillcrest and north Mission
Hills, the mixed-use retail and residential
project combines front-facing townhomes
along with flats attached to large balconies.
To tie it together, architect M.W. Steele
Group introduced a public paseo and
courtyard that helped the two restaurants
better capture potential customers. Like a
much smaller version of the award-winning
Uptown District project nearby that was
built in the early 1990s, 1Mission proves
that mixed-use projects can work even in a
recession, but only if created with the right
combination of location and execution.
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In the city of Westminster in Southern
California, Bridgecreek Development also
made safe connectivity to the local community
a priority when developing Morian Asian
Gardens, an age-restricted condominium
project in the Vietnamese-dominated Little
Saigon. By blending feng shui design models
with a French-inspired aesthetic, architect
Danielian Associates wanted to evoke a classic
Vietnam environment while also providing
the more practical and social aspects of two
clubhouses that bring in the best of the local
climate via adjacent courtyards.
For energy efficiency, it's harder to get
greener than Los Vecinos in Chula Vista south
of San Diego, Calif., which was named Green
Sustainable Community of the Year. Earning the
coveted LEED-Platinum
status and built on the
site of an abandoned
model (of which 84
percent of materials
were re-purposed for
the new building),
this affordable
Wakeland Housing &
Development rental
project also requires
residents to complete a green training course.
Given the combination of its solar array, which
provides 90 percent of its electrical needs, a
turf area requiring no water and most services
located within a half-mile walk, it's certainly no
surprise that Los Vecinos was accepted into the
Zero Energy New Home (ZENH) program of
the California Energy Commission for ongoing
education purposes.
And yet for sheer creativity, Nelson
Development's Arden Estates in the West
Portal neighborhood of San Francisco proves
that urban infill doesn't necessarily mean
high density. After carving out seven 4,000-
square-foot lots from a single undeveloped
28,000-square-foot parcel, each 3,200-squarefoot
home promises luxury finishes with high
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ceilings, generous setbacks, gardens and views
and also claims one of the highest green
building ratings offered by the city.
Awarded Green Point Rated Community
of the Year, the considerable architectural
challenge was to blend in with both the
surrounding homes as well as a the site's
keynote: Arden Wood, a Normandy-style
chateau built in 1930 that has since been
operating as a multi-purpose Christian
Science center for spiritual healing, nursing
services and education. Yet by remaining
sensitive to the neighborhood's history and
not building to maximum density, it's projects
like this that remind buyers that many
builders are also artisans.
Patrick S. Duffy is a principal with MetroIntelligence
Real Estate Advisors (www.
metrointel.com), a division
of Beacon Economics (www.
beaconecon.com) and authors
The Housing Chronicles Blog
(www.housingchronicles.com). He may be contacted
at pduffy@metrointel.com or
888-82-DEVELOP.
FAST FACTS
- Building smaller spaces doesn't mean sacrificing aesthetics.
- Urban infill and green building are becoming one and the same.
- Connectivity to local neighborhoods is increasingly important.
- A return to the days of builders as artisans is a good thing!
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