Project Description
2007 RADA
Single-Family Production / Detached / Merit
This modest “pocket” development shows production housing in a whole new light. It marries “plan and design in a good way,” said one judge. “It’s not just about the appearance of architecture—it’s about culture.”
The “culture” this project’s design and development team tries to foster is a communal one, where individuals can get to know their neighbors, says Ross Chapin, AIA. To that end, Chapin organized the 16 houses around two connected courtyards and positioned parking on the outskirts to promote interaction among neighbors. The culture also prizes sustainability, so in addition to the high-density siting, each zero-lot-line house has a landscape easement for a bioswale to channel storm water to a retention tank. To mitigate their thrifty size, the cottages make use of open, efficient floor plans and multifunctional rooms.
The houses achieved a four-star rating (out of a possible five) in the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties’ Built Green program. It’s all about establishing models of sustainability for the mainstream, Chapin says.