Village scale architecture is how we put the principles of New Urbanism into action. At the heart of this ideal is the belief that communities should be designed not for cars, but for people, and that this design should strive to enhance our quality of life. It also means designing communities for today while keeping an eye on the future, to ensure livability and sustainability for our children and our children’s children and all other generations to come.

A walkable community
Neighborhoods are limited in size so that a majority of the population is within a five-minute walk of their center. The needs of daily life are all available within this area: transit stops, work places, retail, community events, leisure activities and the beach.

Streets and buildings
The streets are laid out in a network, so that there are alternate routes to most destinations. This permits the streets to be smaller, with slower traffic. The pace of life encourages you to discover hidden courtyards and callejón. The buildings are diverse in function, but compatible in size and design. There is a mixture of homes, small apartment buildings, shops, restaurants, offices and warehouses.

Public spaces
Open space is provided in the form of courtyards with trickling fountains, playgrounds and parks and greenbelts. Civic buildings, schools, meeting halls, theaters, churches, clubs and museums are placed on squares or at the end of street vistas. By being built at important locations, these buildings serve as landmarks and friendly gathering places.