Constantine D. Vasilios and Associates, Inc.

DESIGN CONCEPT STATEMENT
Our solution to this housing competition derives its primary strength from the notion of community. Community is staged via the simple ideas and principles of a village that we find to be valid in the twenty first century.

The concept begins with a center that is strongly identified by a community oval. It is an opening arm welcoming and containing at the same time. Located in the center, is a community building and supporting services to unite the various people that will live together on the site. The housing establishes edges that clarify domains formed by the shapes of the buildings.

The idea of a village offers links to other communities surrounding the site. It includes a pedestrian axis link to downtown transportation to the east, and another axis to the south. Within the oval landscape, water is captured from rainfall, and channeled to become a fountain that is springing from the community center. Above ground tanks are stored in various places of the site to capture roof water. The location of the housing is positioned to provide a high percentage of south facing roof slopes and possible incorporation of solar energy panels. The building materials for the peripheral housing are simple board and batten panels. The curvilinear units are meant to be masonry lower half and board and batten upper half to be constructed by owners and professional builders.

Parking is scattered throughout the site. It is attached to the units located to the west end of the site. Retail parking spaces are located in the northern building across from the community center.

In a village the inhabitant is known by others. He or she has access to a link of habitation with others and possible establishment of a community. The principles we outlined, including a strong identifiable center, edge, memory, and layers, establishing domains of ownership area ideas that bond and hold village inhabitants together toward the notion of community. Contemporary solutions to practical problems of parking and the automobile, energy and the environment, are here combined to bring this master plan of housing to the twenty first century.