Opticos Invited to Participate in Daniel Burnham Memorial Competition

Opticos was one of only 20 design firms nationwide selected to participate in a design competition for a memorial to celebrate Daniel Burnham’s work and the centennial of his Plan for Chicago. Opticos was chosen alongside such nationally recognized firms as Sasaki, SOM, and Perkins Will. The competition submittals will be exhibited throughout the summer of 2009 as part of the Centennial Celebration of the Burnham Plan for Chicago. More about the Burnham Competition >>

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FBC Tip: Parking for Walkable Neighborhoods

Residential: Leveling the Playing Field for Small Units

Be sure your parking requirements are not set by unit, as this discourages small units. For example, where one or two parking spaces are mandated per unit without regard for whether the unit is a one-bed, two-bed or studio, developers will tend to default to the higher return of larger units. Regulating by density also causes this problem. More tips on residential parking requirements.

Commercial/Retail

Within neighborhood main streets and along corridors that have on-street parking, especially in areas where parking podiums are not financially feasible or encourages, allow for 3,500-5,000 sf of retail/commercial without requiring any off-street parking. If transit is present, consider allowing up to 2,000 sf of residential without requiring any off-street parking. More tips on commercial parking requirements.

For a complete table of parking along the transect by Jeffrey Tumlin, see Form-Based Codes, pages 52-53.

Downtown Benicia Mixed Use Master Plan wins 2009 APA California Northern Award

The Downtown Benicia Mixed Use Master Plan and Form-Based Code won the Neighborhood Planning Award, for a "plan, program, design, or related effort that demonstrates innovative planning principles, and measures that create sustainable neighborhoods that have lasting value." Award recipients were honored at the May 15th award ceremony. More on the Downtown Benicia Mixed Use Master Plan and Form-Based Code

City of Cincinnati selects Opticos as Form-Based Code Consultant

We are pleased to announce that Opticos Design and Lisa Wise Consulting have been selected to work with the City of Cincinnati, Ohio. We will be recommending an approach to Form-Based Code application and educating staff, community members, and elected and appointed officials about the best practice standards of Form-Based Coding.

Opticos' Seaside work and essay by Dan Parolek Featured in Seaside Publication

An essay by Dan Parolek along with Opticos' Town Square and Beach Side Master Plan and work with Leon Krier on his tower was featured in Views of Seaside: Commentaries and Observations on a City of Ideas, a collection reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the celebrated New Urbanist town of Seaside, Florida. Dan’s chapter focuses on Seaside’s evolution and its capacity for ongoing growth and change.

Find out more about the Seaside Master Plan, Opticos' work with Leon Krier, and Opticos' role as Seaside Town Architect.

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1285 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94706.
Email marketing@opticosdesign.com for more information.