Spaces - 4007
Gilbert, Ariz.
Trend to watch: Modern, wallet-friendly design for the next generation.
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Credit: Courtesy Shea Homes
What are today’s 20- and 30-somethings looking for in a starter home? Shea Homes is boldly questioning the status quo with Spaces, an unorthodox series of plans catering to first-time buyers. The operative themes here are affordability and flexibility.
Designed to fit a conventional lot, this 1,776-square-foot plan achieves a lower price point by keeping construction costs to a minimum. Standardized windows, standard kitchen and bath cabinet sizes, and efficient framing methods are among the elements that have been value-engineered. But the program also makes an extra effort where it counts, incorporating added insulation for energy efficiency, for example, and solar tubes for natural daylighting.
The spaces in the plan are non-prescriptive (encouraging inhabitants to decorate and use them as they see fit rather than being locked into living rooms or bedrooms) and the clean, modern aesthetic is meant to appeal to a younger set.-- Jenny Sullivan
Award: Grand, single-family home under 2,000 square feet on a conventional lot
Builder: Shea Homes
Architect: Woodley Architectural Group