AS LAND PARCELS SHRINK near urban areas, builders face the proverbial puzzle: How to disguise multifamily housing in a single-family neighborhood. On this infill site, a 3.8-acre church parking lot literally steps from downtown Palm Springs, Scheurer Architects finessed the density of 38 new units with a series of triplex buildings, each designed to read as two homes. Garages are tucked out of view, and the entry sequence of gate, courtyard, and front door creates a pedestrian-friendly arrival.

Category: Attached/Townhouse community; Entrant/Architect/Land planner: Scheurer Architects, Newport Beach, Calif.; Builder/Developer: Wessman Gonzales, Palm Springs, Calif.; Landscape architect: The Collaborative West, San Clemente, Calif.; Interior designer: Design Tec, Newport Beach, Calif.

Learn more about markets featured in this article: Los Angeles, CA.