Featured Projects
Culdesac Tempe: A Car-Free Neighborhood
Tempe, Arizona
Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan
Memphis, TN
Bungalows On The Lake at Prairie Queen: A Missing Middle Neighborhood
Papillion, NE
Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
Cupertino, CA
Downtown Davis Specific Plan + Form-Based Code
Davis, CA
Mews Homes™
South Jordan, Utah
Seaside Town Square and Beachfront Master Plan
Seaside, Florida
Cincinnati Citywide Form-Based Code and Comprehensive Plan Land Use Framework
Cincinnati, Ohio
Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan
Memphis, TN
Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
Cupertino, CA
Downtown Davis Specific Plan + Form-Based Code
Davis, CA
Cincinnati Citywide Form-Based Code and Comprehensive Plan Land Use Framework
Cincinnati, Ohio
Culdesac Tempe: A Car-Free Neighborhood
Tempe, Arizona
Bungalows On The Lake at Prairie Queen: A Missing Middle Neighborhood
Papillion, NE
Mews Homes™
South Jordan, Utah
Seaside Town Square and Beachfront Master Plan
Seaside, Florida
Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today's Housing Crisis
Purchase your copy hereMissing Middle Housing
Walkable, attainable communities people love to call home
Opticos principal Daniel Parolek inspired a new movement for housing choice in 2010 when he introduced the concept of the “missing middle” in American housing. Today, Opticos creates innovative architectural designs to help build walkable communities with unique, diverse housing choices that are attainable for all.
We wrote the seminal book on Form-Based Coding
Read Free ChapterZoning codes for
people-centered places
Opticos is a world leader in zoning reform for walkable, sustainable communities. We didn’t create form-based coding, but we’ve been trailblazers in the field for more than 20 years. We are experts in understanding how the form of buildings will shape community spaces, and we can simplify the process of introducing form-based codes with a predictable build-out.
Recent Awards
PCBC Gold Nugget Award of Merit
Best Multi-Family Housing Community - under 17 du/acre
Papillion, Nebraska
FBCI Form-Based Code Award
Multi-jurisdictional Objective Design + Development Standards
Marin County, California
Latest From Opticos
On the boardsWhat we're working on
Sacramento’s Groundbreaking Zoning and Policy Reform
Collaboration between Opticos and the City of Sacramento is underway to enable Missing Middle Housing citywide as part of a broader effort to increase the supply of lower-cost, attainable housing. The City of Sacramento took a monumental step forward when the City Council adopted the 2040 General Plan on February 27, 2024.
MMH Scan™ Supports Adoption of Middle Housing Standards in Knoxville
The Knoxville City Council recently adopted Middle Housing Zoning standards informed by Opticos’ Missing Middle Housing Scan. The Council’s aim is to expand housing options while preserving neighborhood character. Developed in collaboration with community input and Opticos Design’s consultation, these standards aim to facilitate the construction of diverse house-scale housing types within Traditional Neighborhood Residential zones.
From the Archives: Evolving a New Urbanist Icon—Seaside, Florida’s Town Square and Beachfront
In the early 2000’s Seaside Town Founder Robert Davis called me out of the blue to ask if we would work with him, his wife and Seaside co-founder Daryl Davis, and their team to work on a plan that would allow the town square and beachfront of Seaside—which was designed with temporary one story wood structures—to evolve into something more permanent but doing so in a way that did not compromise the Seaside charm and character that they had so thoughtfully orchestrated/created.