We are proud to announce the winners of the 2025 National Single Stair Architectural Design Competition!
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Aesthetically, our revealed preference is for human scale + consistent heights.
Price/sqft:
Famous glass 'Jenga tower': ~$3k / sqft
Simple townhouse or converted warehouse: $3700-$5k / sqft
'Background buildings' that repeat using Standard Plans are also much cheaper to build.

The Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) is a plan to build mixed-income and affordable housing that is attainable for all Angelenos – nurses, cooks, teachers, seniors, students, the undocumented, refugees.

Are aesthetics important in housing? Arguably, yes.
(1) Aesthetics can drive political support. A new study shows how aesthetics affect community support for housing -- people are more willing to embrace density when it's beautiful.

What makes a street calming? Order & variation – especially one height. Paris or Brooklyn Brownstones – it's one vernacular with variety. Mediterranean cities have variations on a theme. Walking along a coherent, human-scale block, especially under 5 stories, cortisol goes down & curiosity goes up.

A ‘Town Center’ of local shops can become the social & economic hub of a community. When it’s high quality, it invites people in – creating what Jane Jacobs described as a ‘sticky street’ – a place to shop, linger and stroll.

Let's transform our spaces into green havens, not parking lots. It's time to invest in nature, community, and sustainability. 🌿💚 #GreenSpaces #UrbanGreening #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendly #LoveWhereYouLive #NatureInTheCity #CleanEnvironment #ParkNotParking

Envisioning a more walkable Los Angeles with vibrant commercial streets, where traffic concerns take a backseat to community connection and convenience. Let’s reshape our city for a future that’s easier to navigate—on foot and beyond. #WalkableLA #TrafficSolutions #UrbanTransformation #Sustainable

Imagine an LA where every street feels like home—tree-lined, walkable, and designed for people, not just cars. 🌿🚶‍♂️🚲 #WalkableLA #PeopleFirst #SustainableCities #UrbanOasis #CarFreeFuture #BikeFriendly #GreenStreets #LivableCommunities #PedestrianParadise #SmartGrowth #LA2050

The LCI Plan is a bold, comprehensive solution for LA’s future—combining housing, mobility, and sustainability to create thriving, people-first communities. Let’s build it together! 🚲🌿🏡

#LivableLA #PeopleOverCars #SustainableCities #WalkableLA #BikeFriendly #HousingForAll #SmartGrowth #15MinuteCity

A truly walkable city isn’t just about sidewalks—it’s about vibrant neighborhoods with local shops, tree-lined streets, and fewer cars. Let’s build an LA that puts people first! 💚

#SustainableLA #LivableStreets #15MinuteCity #GreenUrbanism #TreeCanopy #CarLightLiving #BetterLA #BikeFriendly