Multi-family

Multi-family design is where clarity and restraint earn their keep. Repeated units, shared walls, shared entries, and shared outdoor space all reward a plan that is simple, well proportioned, and carefully detailed.

What it can include

• Duplexes and other small buildings with a few units on one lot.
• Small apartment buildings and courtyard-style housing.
• A main house with additional units, including ADUs.
• Additions or conversions that add dwelling units to an existing property.

What changes from single family

Building codes treat multi-family housing differently from a single home, and the differences shape the design from the start. Typically, two-family dwellings and buildings with three or more units fall into different occupancy classifications; accessibility requirements apply to many multi-family buildings; fire and life-safety requirements, fire-rated separations between units, and sound transmission between neighbors all become design problems rather than details. Parking, open space, and structural coordination matter more as the building grows.

Zoning decides what is possible

How many units a lot can hold, how tall the building can be, what the setbacks are, and what incentive or density programs may apply all depend on the zoning, state housing law, and the local jurisdiction. These vary by property and change over time, so a feasibility review for the specific lot comes first, before design effort is spent.

How the work proceeds

• Feasibility — what the lot and zoning allow, and what unit mix makes sense.
• Massing and plan studies that keep the building simple and the units livable.
• Permit drawings coordinated with the required engineers and consultants, taken through plan-check.
• Design-build and construction coordination, where wanted.

A note on scope

This page is general information. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and project, and are confirmed for the specific property.