What city has the most modern single family home architecture?

[giantSwan]

Hi all,

I love contemporary architecture. While traveling the world, (especially the US), it's rare that you see entire neighborhoods with very contemporary looking single family homes. On occasion, you see one in an area, but most of the single family home architecture is traditional or neo-traditional.

Does anyone know neighborhoods that contain large amounts of contemporary single family homes?

One of the few places that jumped to my mind - Venice, CA.

[Crawford]

The U.S. tends to not do contemporary as much as other countries. Latin America is HUGE into contemporary (at least among the affluent). Europe is probably somewhat more into contemporary than U.S.

That said, I would guess LA metro has the highest proportion of contemporary. Also tons in NYC and Miami metros. Probably least common in the South and Midwest. Not too many contemporary housing typologies in New Orleans or Memphis or Oklahoma City.

[memph]

Like this?
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.02490...7i13312!8i6656

Calgary is likely #1 in Canada. Vancouver has always had some, and it's catching on in Toronto too now, although I would say Toronto and Vancouver are still about 75% neotraditional for custom homes (95%+ for tract homes).

[badrunner]

Palm Springs/Coachella Valley

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by memph

Calgary is likely #1 in Canada. Vancouver has always had some, and it's catching on in Toronto too now, although I would say Toronto and Vancouver are still about 75% neotraditional for custom homes (95%+ for tract homes).

That would be low compared to U.S. I bet tract homes in the U.S. are almost 100% neotraditional, and custom homes probably 90%+. Contemporary is "weird" if you're in Indianapolis or Kansas City (or even Boston, for that matter) and tends to have poor resale value.

Even in contemporary havens, like the Hamptons, you often hear that neotraditional is an easier sale. Heck, most expensive apartment building in the U.S. (probably the world), is neotraditional (220 CPS).

The U.S., for better or worse, is very "Pottery Barn" when it comes to upper middle class/upper class design preferences. There are contemporary fans, especially in a few major cities, and some famous enclaves (West Chelsea, Hamptons, Palm Springs, Malibu) but not the predominant preference. Hollywood and Wall Street seem to prefer contemporary, though.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Palm Springs/Coachella Valley

Yep. Palm Springs immediately came to my mind when I read the thread title. I've never seen another US city where mid century modern is the overwhelmingly dominant SFH vernacular.

[ChargerCarl]

By modern do you mean mid century stuff? If so then definitely Palm Springs.

[memph]

Originally Posted by Crawford

That would be low compared to U.S. I bet tract homes in the U.S. are almost 100% neotraditional, and custom homes probably 90%+. Contemporary is "weird" if you're in Indianapolis or Kansas City (or even Boston, for that matter) and tends to have poor resale value.

Even in contemporary havens, like the Hamptons, you often hear that neotraditional is an easier sale. Heck, most expensive apartment building in the U.S. (probably the world), is neotraditional (220 CPS).

The U.S., for better or worse, is very "Pottery Barn" when it comes to upper middle class/upper class design preferences. There are contemporary fans, especially in a few major cities, and some famous enclaves (West Chelsea, Hamptons, Palm Springs, Malibu) but not the predominant preference. Hollywood and Wall Street seem to prefer contemporary, though.

The 95%+ was being very conservative, it's basically 100% for SFH tract housing, I can't think of any exceptions in the Toronto area (there are townhouses that are modern though).


As for custom homes, it was 90%+ for homes built 10 years ago, but there's been a noticeable uptick in the last 5 years. The poster child for that trend would be the neighbourhood of Lakeview in Mississauga, at least the part of Lakeview right next to Lake Ontario.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.56764...7i13312!8i6656
The number of modern homes like those has probably doubled since the streetview cam rolled by.

Custom homes in the pre-1920 areas of Toronto are frequently modern too, I guess there's plenty of authentic old style homes there so there's no need for new homes to be the same.

Oakville used to be full of neo-traditional custom homes but there's been quite a few nice modern ones built in the last few years
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.45777...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.45262...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.45203...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.46143...7i13312!8i6656

It's hard to say what the % is for custom homes though, it could be anywhere from 65-95% neo-traditional. Many areas are still overwhelmingly building neo-traditional.

I would still say it's Calgary > Vancouver > Toronto though. Calgary is quite possibly >50% modern for custom homes.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.05586...7i13312!8i6656

[Quixote]

Palm Springs, CA

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Crawford

That would be low compared to U.S. I bet tract homes in the U.S. are almost 100% neotraditional, and custom homes probably 90%+. Contemporary is "weird" if you're in Indianapolis or Kansas City (or even Boston, for that matter) and tends to have poor resale value.

Even in contemporary havens, like the Hamptons, you often hear that neotraditional is an easier sale. Heck, most expensive apartment building in the U.S. (probably the world), is neotraditional (220 CPS).

The U.S., for better or worse, is very "Pottery Barn" when it comes to upper middle class/upper class design preferences. There are contemporary fans, especially in a few major cities, and some famous enclaves (West Chelsea, Hamptons, Palm Springs, Malibu) but not the predominant preference. Hollywood and Wall Street seem to prefer contemporary, though.

One wonders if part of the reason U.S. architects are stuck so heavily within the modernist/postmodernist straightjacket for commercial structures is that talentless tract housing is so relentlessly neotraditional.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Crawford

That would be low compared to U.S. I bet tract homes in the U.S. are almost 100% neotraditional, and custom homes probably 90%+. Contemporary is "weird" if you're in Indianapolis or Kansas City (or even Boston, for that matter) and tends to have poor resale value.

maybe a few years ago, but contemporary stuff is getting built right and left in the midwest, now, although its still usually as urban infill, catering to the booming market for new construction in urban cores and pre-war suburbs. mid-century "atomic" stuff is gaining value as well (i just bought one). however, the non-coastal outer suburban market isn't there, yet, except in places like austin where they are building entire mid-century throwback subdivisions from scratch.

[ardecila]

It's interesting, seems like most small-scale infill in the City of Chicago now has become contemporary. Before the crash it was largely very mediocre traditional, now it's mediocre contemporary.

I think developers realized that rainscreen panel systems like Hardie Panel and Nichiha were as cheap or cheaper than veneer brick, so the change in material drove a change in style.

But certainly I haven't seen a lot of contemporary in the suburbs except for the very upper-crust North Shore (which has plenty of old traditional from the 1920s, and is also culturally pretty elite).

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by ardecila

It's interesting, seems like most small-scale infill in the City of Chicago now has become contemporary. Before the crash it was largely very mediocre traditional, now it's mediocre contemporary.

I think developers realized that rainscreen panel systems like Hardie Panel and Nichiha were as cheap or cheaper than veneer brick, so the change in material drove a change in style.

But certainly I haven't seen a lot of contemporary in the suburbs except for the very upper-crust North Shore (which has plenty of old traditional from the 1920s, and is also culturally pretty elite).

same here, although the materials often try to half-ass emulate traditional construction methods here...key word "try." i'm not a huge fan of doing that...brick veneer everywhere...

nextstl.com

ah you already mentioned veneer brick..

[montréaliste]

Montreal's postwar City infill has almost invariably been of the contemporary variety. Duplexes, triplexes and singles did not usually repeat colonial or other designs. The late sixties, early seventies onwards brought mixed types that mimicked some aspects of trad. Eyetalian nabes had an eerie resemblance to their counterparts in New Jersey and New York. The Sopranos would feel at home.

[memph]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Montreal's postwar City infill has almost invariably been of the contemporary variety. Duplexes, triplexes and singles did not usually repeat colonial or other designs. The late sixties, early seventies onwards brought mixed types that mimicked some aspects of trad. Eyetalian nabes had an eerie resemblance to their counterparts in New Jersey and New York. The Sopranos would feel at home.

If housing like this counts as "modern" then plenty of cities have that.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.50498...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Chicago, Detroit and Toronto's inner suburbs have thousands upon thousands of tract homes like that. What Montreal has is basically just the higher density equivalent of those. I'm not sure if that's what the OP had in mind or something more unique looking.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by memph

Chicago, Detroit and Toronto's inner suburbs have thousands upon thousands of tract homes like that. What Montreal has is basically just the higher density equivalent of those. I'm not sure if that's what the OP had in mind or something more unique looking.

chicago also has a fair bit of '50s/'60s 2 and 3 flats in outer neighborhoods/inner burbs.



shit like this somewhat common outside of the older core of the city:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9792...7i13312!8i6656




but more often than not, stuff from that era is hodge-podgey SFH bungalows that look like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9620...7i13312!8i6656

[Leo the Dog]

I'd say West LA is up there. Much of the infill is all modern stuff. You know, those houses with trendy horizontal wooden fences, with drought tolerant succulents, with garage doors that have opaque plastic panels and perhaps heavy use of reclaimed wood used to accent a wall or two.

Maybe something like this:

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

chicago also has a fair bit of '50s/'60s 2 and 3 flats in outer neighborhoods/inner burbs.



shit like this somewhat common outside of the older core of the city:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9792...7i13312!8i6656

that looks very much like the stuff around me in inner suburbia: https://goo.gl/maps/fLGJHzCG86s

unfortunately those 2-flats have the basement garages in front.

in fact, theres even some "atomic" 2-flats which are the bees knees. unfortunately, streetview doesnt go down the street. when i say "atomic," i'm talking about large windows that meet the swooping roofline like this ranch:


houzz.com

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Definitely Palm Springs, Venice, West LA and Hollywood Hills.

[sopas ej]

Don't know if these have the most, but here's a short list:

https://www.modernhomesblog.com/2014...-architecture/