Architectural award bestowed upon an eco-friendly California McMansion in a neighborhood of bungalows.
"To some, it's the home of the future: an intriguing two-story jewel box with an atrium delivering sparkling light to glass-walled rooms, ecologically sensitive and built on a challenging urban lot just 25 feet wide. To neighbors and passersby, however, the house only prompts questions: What is it? Miniature factory? Bomb shelter? Goth barn? Approach the structure on foot, they say, and what at first seems inventive and artfully minimalist begins to feel bigger, bolder, almost confrontational."
The Mar Vista neighborhood was developed in the 1940s to offer small, low-cost housing for soldiers returning from war. However, some new large houses, including the American Institute of Architects award-winner, have made long-time residents uncomfortable about a lack of privacy. "You want to be able to be comfortable in your backyard without feeling like someone's always watching you," said one neighbor. "Sure, everyone wants to take advantage of views, but when you go three stories, it puts a damper on everyone."
FULL STORY: Marvel or monster?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
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Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions