The Otto Merida Desert Villas in Las Vegas, an 8 acre affordable housing project has finally done what all "affordable" designs have failed to do; create a vibrant community without the stigma we tend to associate with low income housing- that it will be a focal point for all the unsavory characters in the area to congregate and threaten the safety of "regular" taxpayers.The $15,000,000 mixed financed design, by Las Vegas-based Lucchesi Galati Architects comprises 27 two bedroom, 30 three bedroom and 3 four bedroom detached single family and duplex rental units all with drought tolerant landscaping, which won a 2008 merit award for water-conscious residential landscape design from the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas). Also included in the neighborhood layout is a children's playground, water-spray play area, barbecue niches and a community center.
A strong sense of community is fostered in the neighborhood by having front porches oriented toward the street to form a community street scape, rear porches facing each other, shared courtyards, and landscaped walkways and patios connecting the units and encouraging interaction. Though many of the units are rental apartments, Lucchesi Galati designed each to break from the traditional look of apartments in the country and look more like single-family residential homes. John Haddad, the project manager says that this was done to give residents a feeling of ownership and a sense of pride. The project, which opened last year, also includes a number of sustainability strategies with passive solar orientation and use of Energy Star appliances within each unit.
For more information, check: www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek09/0116/0116d_desert.cfm
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