Montpelier Habitat For Humanity

New Community Oriented Neighborhood for a Small City

gbA, along with Engineering Ventures and Park Architecture, partnered with Habitat for Humanity to study the development of a carbon negative, mixed income affordable housing neighborhood south of downtown Montpelier.  Integral to the design process were a number of community input work sessions.  This multi phased project would fill a significant need for housing in the area, especially that which is accessible to those with low to moderate incomes.  The final design will potentially include over 100 units in a mix of single family homes, cottages, duplexes, townhouses, and apartment units, available both to rent and to own.    A strong sense of place and community will be fostered through intentional neighborhood design, and by incorporating community gardens, common gathering spaces, and recreational opportunities in the surrounding natural area.  Environmental goals include net-zero construction, access to public transportation, and minimizing impact on the surrounding forest by prioritizing development density and the creation of a conservation area.

Above are four concept designs that were created for this project.