We are urban designers and architects who believe in the transformative power of beautiful, sustainable, walkable communities for all.
Missing Middle Housing
Walkable, attainable communities people love to call home
Opticos principal Daniel Parolek inspired a new movement for housing choice in 2010 when he introduced the concept of the “missing middle” in American housing. Today, Opticos creates innovative architectural designs to help build walkable communities with unique, diverse housing choices that are attainable for all.
Zoning codes for
people-centered places
Opticos is a world leader in zoning reform for walkable, sustainable communities. We didn’t create form-based coding, but we’ve been trailblazers in the field for more than 20 years. We are experts in understanding how the form of buildings will shape community spaces, and we can simplify the process of introducing form-based codes with a predictable build-out.
We Can Help By
Featured Projects
Culdesac Tempe: A Car-Free Neighborhood
Tempe, Arizona
Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan
Memphis, TN
Bungalows On The Lake at Prairie Queen: A Missing Middle Neighborhood
Papillion, Nebraska
Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
Cupertino, CA
Downtown Davis Specific Plan + Form-Based Code
Davis, CA
Mews Homes™
South Jordan, Utah
Town Square and Beachfront Master Plan
Seaside, Florida
Citywide Form-Based Code and Comprehensive Plan Land Use Framework
Cincinnati, Ohio
Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan
Memphis, TN
Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
Cupertino, CA
Downtown Davis Specific Plan + Form-Based Code
Davis, CA
Citywide Form-Based Code and Comprehensive Plan Land Use Framework
Cincinnati, Ohio
Culdesac Tempe: A Car-Free Neighborhood
Tempe, Arizona
Bungalows On The Lake at Prairie Queen: A Missing Middle Neighborhood
Papillion, Nebraska
Mews Homes™
South Jordan, Utah
Town Square and Beachfront Master Plan
Seaside, Florida
Recent Awards
Latest From Opticos
On the boardsWhat we're working on
Growth Area Housing Plan
Jackson, Wyoming
Citywide Housing Plan
Modesto, California
Village Center Master Plan
Buena Vista, Colorado
Infill Courtyard Housing
Santa Maria, California
The ENU Place Summit: Breaking Down Barriers to Advance and Connect Emerging Professionals within CNU
The Emerging New Urbanists Task Force held their first annual ENU Place Summit in San Francisco/Berkeley (hosted by Opticos), Chicago, New Haven/NYC, and via virtual platforms concurrently in October 2021. This inaugural event celebrated the creation of the Emerging New Urbanist (ENU) Task Force – a team of rising leaders dedicated to their mission of advancing the goals of the Charter of the New Urbanism with a focus on empowering emerging professionals to shape the future of the CNU.
Memphis 3.0 Community Anchors: Reinvesting in Local Neighborhoods to Positively Impact Memphians
The Daniel Burnham Award-winning Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan charted a bold new vision for how the City of Memphis, Tennessee would “grow up, not out” as it embarks on its third century. Opticos Design was thrilled to assist the City of Memphis as they lead the innovative 3.0 Comprehensive Plan on behalf of a multidisciplinary team of national and local consultants. It was a pleasure to be invited back to help the city implement the plan through a series of small area planning projects.
Bringing Missing Middle Back to Greenville, South Carolina
If you’ve ever been to Greenville, South Carolina, you can understand why so many people want to live there. It’s got a small-town feel, is only a short walk or bike ride into nature and has beautiful tree-lined streets with great physical character. But along with that appeal comes housing-related growing pains: higher housing costs with few choices, aside from detached houses and apartment developments. Recently, Greenville found themselves looking for an innovative approach to address their wide range of housing needs and interests.