Project Description
2012 RADA
Affordable Housing / Merit
The judges appreciated the thoughtful site plan and sustainable character of this Palm Springs, Calif., affordable housing community. “It’s simple and not overdone,” said one juror. “It’s very appropriate for the context.”
Brooks + Scarpa divided the LEED Gold-certified project’s 57 dwellings into groupings of four to 13 units. Parking is relegated to the perimeter, so residents cross shared courtyards to reach their units. “Once you come inside the complex, it’s a little oasis,” says principal Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA. Portions of the courtyards are covered to provide relief from the hot desert sun, and deep overhangs supply additional shading and passive cooling.