What makes a great elevation? Depends on which one you're viewing. There are plenty of well-done front façades, of course, but award-winning exterior design is a four-sided affair. Although we show only the street views here, trust us that the other sides are just as carefully considered and dramatic.
Project:Sarasota, Ladera Ranch, Calif.; Entrant/Architect: William Hezmalhalch Architects, Irvine, Calif.; Builder: Brookfield Homes, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Project: Harbor Bend Rowhouses, Memphis, Tenn.; Entrant/Architect: Looney Ricks Kiss, Memphis; Builder: Old Manor Homes, Memphis
BOX BEAUTIFUL: Small, expensive lots don't always go hand-in-hand with conservative design, as plan 3 at Sarasota (above) in Ladera Ranch, Calif., proved; it was recognized with a merit award in 2000. The architect loosened up the front façade with playful massing and detail to create distinctive forms, most notably a second-floor master-suite balcony over the two-car–garage door, a deeply recessed entry door, and a setback shed roof over the living room.
GRAND ENTRY: Sure, the entrance to a 55,000-square-foot lodge/apartment building is the centerpiece of Buckingham Station (left) in Midlothian, Va., 1989's Project of the Year. Even better, the elements and use of color continue throughout the 358-unit, multi-clustered condo project to create carriage home–like elevations within the context of high-density multifamily.
SHOTGUN STYLE: This three-unit row of tightly sited, entry-level detached homes (below) in Memphis, Tenn., earned a merit award in 1994 for its simple, crisp elevations, particularly the symmetrical double-decker porch. Like the majority of winners over the past quarter century, the Harbor Bend Rowhouses prove that simplicity and proper proportion win out over gratuitous glitz.
