The Prospects, Pacifica California

This new development will be built on the site of a former quarry in the Pacifica hills.  The project will be a Zero Energy Development; it will generate as much renewable energy as it uses.  Each house will feature a large photovoltaic array.  More importantly, the houses will be designed to minimize energy use through a variety of means, including passive solar design, hot water solar panels, and numerous energy efficiency measures.

VanMechelen Architects

In addition to generating energy, the project will collect and store virtually all of the rainwater that falls on the developed site.  Up to 200,000 gallons of water will be stored for use in landscaping and other site needs.  All residences will use the most efficient water saving devices, and the landscape will include drought-tolerant native species.

The project also features unique solutions to creating community.  The automobile is virtually invisible from the site.  Numerous plazas, courtyards, and other gathering spaces within the community foster interaction and both formal and casual gatherings.  A Community Room will also provide indoor space for meetings and gatherings.  A large parking garage, located under the dwellings and buried in the hillside, eliminates the need for internal roadways and private driveways.  Children are free to roam about the site without fear of automobiles.  Electric golf carts will carry heavy loads for residences.

We are also providing a large Community Garden, where residents can grow their own food.