In 1947, Levitt & Sons began building massive numbers of homes on Long Island, New York, for World War II veterans and their families. The assembly line shape of the building allowed for the rapid and economic production of mostly identical homes – a concept essential to the iterative plans and elevations that affect production builders to this day. The difference is that now, “cookie-cutter” street resistance leads to wildly diverse exteriors – an important part of the design process.
As these projects show, careful attention to detail and materials can transform the same single-family and multi-family plans into distinctly different designs without any hint of repetition. While changing cladding options can make a big difference, changing roof shapes and slopes can result in dramatically different heights and a distinctive look that sets the primary home apart from others.
Related
Prado at Cadence Park and Trend at Novel Park
Architect: Dahlin Architectural Group | Planning, [email protected]
Dimensions: Width: 77 feet, 6 inches; Depth: 70 feet, 6 inches; Living Area: 1,733ft – 2,766ft
Located in Irvine, California’s premier planned community of Great Park, Prado at Cadence Park (above) and Trend at Novel Park (below) feature a three-beam arrangement of homes. The two communities use the same plans, with slight changes between them, which makes single family living even more special and unique. The arrangement attaches homes only to garage walls, with no communal living walls adjoining an adjoining unit, to give the feel of single family living. The plans feature a variety of elevation styles, particularly the Prado’s contemporary and transitional farmhouse, and contemporary on trend.
a: The Prado has a contemporary farmhouse style, featuring a steeper roof
B: Siding and lath have been installed for a more modern look
c: Prado also offers a transitional style with a shallower ceiling and stucco as the dominant exterior material. The color helps break up some clumps
Dr: The context of the trend called for a contemporary architectural style with flat roofs
e: A mixture of stucco and stucco, with vibrant color schemes for the sides, provides contrasting colors that give homes an individual character.
F: One base color lighter for grout creates continuity
Two-storey row houses
Architect: Kevin L. Crook Architect, [email protected], 949.660.1587
DimensionsWidth: 126 feet Depth: 50 feet Living area: 1,484 sf – 1,805 sf
These two-storey homes are designed for use in a variety of geographical locations and markets. Each site has its own set of design guidelines, as well as local market preferences, which require a variety of elevation patterns. To control challenging costs, we kept footprint, main mass shapes and limited changes to simple roof shapes (contemporary being the exception), material selection, material locations and details, with minimal changes to windows. This approach, with a variety of color combinations and color blocking, creates a product that offers height patterns that are adaptable to a variety of markets and locations.
a: Literal
B: Spanish
c: Farm
Dr: contemporary
e: Hut
rougemont
designers: GMD Design Group, Scott Gardner, 919.320.3022, Donnie McGrath, 770.375.7351
DimensionsWidth: 35 feet; Depth: 84 ft. Living area: 2,499 sec.
The location of the retrograde garage creates a simple block for the front of the house. It also allows for several heights, while the majority of the house remains untouched. Consistent color variations with each style enhance the elevation’s unique look.
a: Front entrance at every height
B: Side trail with optional Port Cotcher
c: Auto Court
Dr: Simple crowding on the second floor allows various heights
Gabriel
Architect: Todd Hallett, AIA, TK Design & Associates, [email protected], 248.446.1960
Dimensions: Width: 50 feet, 4 inches; Depth: 53 feet, 4 inches; Living area: 3,469 sf
The general crowd of this house provides an incentive for a complete exterior transformation based on the desired appearance. Using the same floor plan, we can explore many different (and popular) elevation styles and shapes, including Modern Farm, European Romantic, French Country, and Craftsman.
a: Metal shed roofs are a strong accent to modern farmhouse design
B: Large furnished balcony to expand the living space
c: Natural materials, such as stone and plaster, are often used in combination in romantic European homes
Dr: A dramatic sloping roof exudes the charm of this French country style
e: Siding and chipboard combined with stone and other materials create visual interest
F: Pointed columns are a common feature of craftsmen’s homes
