Village Homes, Davis, California: A Learning Lab for Future Planners

Paul Wack, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

Abstract

Built in the 1970s, Village Homes is an extremely successful housing development in Davis, California, and considered a model of sustainable community design. Energy-conscious houses are organized around a system of pedestrian-friendly streets and open spaces, with community facilities, shared gardens, orchards, and vineyards, all managed by residents. Professor Paul Wack, a founder of the Sustainable Environments minor in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, has been adopting it as a case-study for his classes for several years.