Retro-Renovation: How to Bring New Life to an Outdated Floor Plan

/by

Florida Mid-Century Modern Architecture - Update and Renovation

Florida has a rich architectural history when it comes to mid-century modern buildings. While the style has become a mainstay in sun-kissed cities like Miami and Orlando, some original features have not stood the test of time. Luckily, a skilled architect can revamp an existing structure to fit today’s needs without losing its historical charm. One example of bringing new life to an old building is 3107 Ardsley Drive, which is featured in this year’s Orlando Parade of Homes.

Photo by Hardwick General Contracting, Inc.

 

Elements of a Mid-Century Renovation

 

What makes the Ardsley Drive renovation especially successful is that the designers salvaged many of the original buildings blocks. For example, the keeping of specific walls preserved much of the building’s initial shape. Within the walls, however, an open floor plan accommodates the family’s contemporary lifestyle. Other vintage elements, such as the fireplace, add to the building’s history.

 

Updated Mid-Century Modern Floorplan

At 3,800 square feet, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home offers an expansive everyday living space. The house’s size and open-concept layout easily meet today’s needs. Additionally, spacious closets and an oversized garage offer smart storage solutions.

 

To further the feeling of openness, architects removed visual barriers for a floor plan that now blurs the separation of indoor and outdoor spaces. This seamless transition is supported by natural light from an abundance of clerestory windows. Furthermore, all living spaces (and even the master suite) now feature stunning views of the adjacent lake.

 

Lastly, this complete remodel afforded architects and builders the opportunity to implement energy-efficient design standards and construction practices. From new windows to energy-saving appliances, the home takes “being green” to heart.

 

With its sleek transitional-contemporary design and energy-conscious implementation, this retro renovation creates a strong connection between Florida’s vintage architecture and today’s living needs. Having breathed new life into a stagnant design, it’s safe to say that Ardsley Drive is ready for another 50 years.

Tactical Urbanism and Site Previtalization in New Communities

/by

Tactical urbanism is often seen as a strategy for existing communities. However, brand-new master-planned communities can benefit from tactical urbanism, too. Through previtalization, a new Main Street can spring to life in an authentic and economically feasible way.

Tactical Urbanism Site Previtalization in New, Master-Planned Communities

What is tactical urbanism?

Tactical urbanism is an umbrella term for a set of strategies to create or improve urban places incrementally. A hallmark of tactical urbanism is the use of lower cost, lightweight interventions. Communities implement these strategies as short-term measures with an eye towards establishing a track record of success.

As defined in the leading go-to guide, Tactical Urbanism 2: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change (2012), tactical urbanism is a deliberate approach to community building that includes:

  1. A phased approach;
  2. Local ideas for local planning challenges;
  3. Short-term commitment and realistic expectations;
  4. Low-risk, with the possibility of a high reward; and
  5. The development of social capital between citizens, institutions, and non-profits.

What is site previtalization?

Tactical urbanists use site previtalization in the early stages of a community. The goal is to lay the groundwork for robust and authentic future developments by inhabiting the location of a future main street or civic space, incubating unique businesses, and/or bringing people together on the site. Different design tools and programming options provide a flexible approach to preliminary site activation.

The design tools for previtalization are varied. They range from prefabricated architecture (such as small cottages) to mobile vendors. Other indoor and outdoor spaces may be constructed on-site with recycled materials. For example, shipping pallets and containers can provide structural support. Tactical urbanists strategically organize these structures to create a semi-permanent business district.

Next, programming options attract residents to these new districts. Pop-up shops and open markets might happen daily, weekly, or monthly. Other efforts, including urban agriculture or temporary parks, occupy empty lots until they are ready for development. Often, previtalization efforts encourage retail micro-mixing (multiple businesses in the same space).

Tactical Urbanism Site Previtalization

How is site previtalization applied?

Generally, a full build-out of a new community takes years or decades. Now, imagine if the energy and excitement of a new, master-planned community could be brought to life in a matter of weeks. Through site previtalization, communities can forge their identities and incubate businesses before permanent buildings arrive at the scene.

Previtalization has many benefits for emerging districts. First, phasing can roll out a development in an economically conscious way. Temporary stands or markets create a unique shopping district before permanent buildings are financially supportable. Second, this flexibility attracts business owners by giving them a chance to test their concepts and incubate businesses in a lower-risk environment. Lastly, and most importantly, previtalization in partnership with future tenants and potential residents seeds an authentic sense of community.

Master-Planned Communities in a New Economy

/by

Inarguably, conventional growth patterns coupled with the recent economic rollercoaster have left urban planners scratching their heads. A major question remains: How can we create new, master-planned communities with a robust framework to prepare for an unpredictable housing market in the future? To find the answer, municipalities and developers are looking back at historical growth patterns for inspiration. But instead of only using a New Urbanist design approach, planners are focusing on economic factors more than ever before.

 

The City of Edgewater, Florida, has taken this new approach to heart. The approval of a form-based code will guide the 20-year build-out of Restoration, the city’s Sustainable Community Development District. As noted in Better Cities & Towns, Restoration is the largest post-recession traditional neighborhood development planned to date. To ensure its success, the 1,315 acre project must balance two factors: economic feasibility and smart design.

 

To guarantee economic viability, the Restoration code allows a frugal, incremental build-out. The master plan includes a variety of phasing options responsive to market conditions. It begins with single-story commercial buildings and modestly-sized homes, building up to an eight-story town center that will likely be developed in later stages. Furthermore, businesses will have a great deal of flexibility on where they can locate to meet the demand of new residents’ changing numbers and needs.

 

Historical growth pattern in Restoration features a multi-way boulevard ready for a streetcar.

 

The hallmark of Restoration’s traditional design will be a transit-ready boulevard designed to accommodate a four-mile streetcar system. Other important factors for creating a livable environment include:

  • Providing a range of different environments, from residential districts to mixed-use blocks.
  • Building forms, regardless of their uses, must respond to a walkable scale.
  • Organizing buildings around an urban grid.
  • Placing green spaces in primary locations to create a healthy public realm.

 

The goal of Restoration’s code is to allow a new, walkable place to evolve authentically, while remaining resilient through changing market conditions. A traditional development will be built to create an active community with the resilience to weather future market fluctuations.