Close relationships with clients, value-added service, an emphasis on design quality, a collegial work atmosphere—the appeals of small firms have lured many architects into opening up shop.
In October, the city council of Santa Monica, California, approved a sweeping ordinance requiring all newly built single-family homes, as well as duplexes and low-rise multifamily buildings, to have zero net energy (ZNE) consumption.
In housing-strapped Los Angeles, city officials are counting on multifamily developments, as well as small-lot single-family homes, to boost capacity and stabilize soaring prices.