Design Concept: Kadre Architects
This scheme provides all the advantages of single-family home living: Access to private outdoor spaces, no shared walls with neighbors and plentiful natural light, resulting in a sense of security, stability and privacy within a ready-made community. Duplex-like structures don’t require elevators and time-consuming commercial building inspections, making this a VERY desirable development model.
STAYING POWER AND ADAPTABILITY
The scheme offers 6 units where ordinarily only 2 would be allowed. The lot is split into two (SB1123) with each comprising one main dwelling unit, ADU and a JADU through immediate or sequenced permitting and construction.
The project includes a mix of one, two, three bedrooms and studio units, fostering a vibrant and diverse micro community. Homeownership of one, two and three bedrooms could be offered through a cooperative, while the studio could be rented out (providing income for maintenance) or used as a shared guest house. Adequate investment in maintenance and management will underpin the stewardship and long-term success of the scheme.
PERFORMANCE AND REPLICABILITY
The proposal offers multi-family living with residential construction timelines, avoiding costly and time-consuming commercial plumbing and electrical inspections. Duplex-like structures with ancillary JADUs also allow the scheme to forego the use of costly elevators and ramps making it a desirable development model. Our firm has proof of concept currently in construction. The prototype is ripe for prefabrication through repeated elements, or it could be built with standard stick construction.
LIVABILITY AND RESILIENCE
Through careful grading, using balanced cut and fill strategies, the project appears diminutive and appropriately scaled to the surrounding neighborhood. Additionally, this grading strategy helps define a series of private and semi-private outdoor spaces and split levels. With added color, the overall effect is one of a hillside village.
Developing a strong community within the development is a first step toward building resilience. This is achieved through layered semi-public and public gathering spaces, that offer chance encounters. Material choices like fire resistant decking for roofs, cement fiber board siding and stucco offer resilience. Fully electric development foregoes natural gas while batteries provide power during ever-increasing power outages.
DENSITY LEVELS AND ADAPTABILITY
– Sequential or immediate development Scheme offers various levels of density while presenting diminutive from the street
– No elevators or ramps required per code makes this proposal suitable for hillside development
– The lot is split into two under SB1123 – with each comprising one main dwelling unit, ADU and JADU
SITE SECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY
– Captured breezes, shady alcoves and ample cross ventilation
– Rainwater cisterns and greywater used in a small orchard
– Plentiful solar access and daylighting throughout
– Solar roof provides 100% energy w/ heat pump water heaters + AC
– Batteries provide resilience during power outages
