Don't look now, but the showy castles that dominated housing competitions in the not-so-distant past just aren't turning heads like they used to. Descriptors such as infill, sustainable, affordable, walkable, energy-efficient, casual, site sensitive, and even the “D” word (yep, density) were more apt to get a nod from the judges in this year's Gold Nugget Awards, an annual salute to the best architecture and community planning in 14 Western states and international markets.
IT'S ALL HERE: The 2007 Home of the Year, a brave addition to the urban mix at Playa Vista in Los Angeles, lives large on a compact lot and doesn't skimp on outdoor space.
Credit: Eric Figge Photography
For evidence, look no farther than the 2007 Home of the Year, a detached dwelling boasting a most economical footprint in an urban neighborhood that packs nearly nine units to the acre. Or the Master Planned Community of the Year, a 120-acre Hope VI project that transformed a stretch of dilapidated, post–World War II subsidized units into a vibrant, eco-friendly, energy-efficient village providing housing for more than 4,000 mixed-income residents.
Rest assured, there is still a place (and a reverential appreciation) in this PCBC-sponsored competition for big budget architecture, amazing vistas, floor plans for fine living, and impeccable craftsmanship. But changes are afoot in the world of über-luxury. By all accounts, tastes are skewing toward a more casual brand of elegance, contemporary forms with clean lines, and the notion that upscale can happen within the confines of shared walls.