Using Color in the High Density Condition

As land becomes increasingly scarce, many builders are looking at developing infill housing in urban and suburban areas. Infill building demands a different thought process for a builder with regards to unit orientation, product design, and most importantly, color and materials choices that will ultimately adorn these high-density homes.

Because of the high unit count necessary to make these parcels of land profitable, builders must create the "illusion of individuality" for the eventual residents within the dense development. All aesthetic design decisions for the multi-family product must have a strategy based in the near perspective, or the self-contained environment.

The builder must be very clear about the intended homeowner's values and motivations. What lifestyle needs are met by a particular location and house style? A complete understanding of the buyer must precede all aesthetic decisions to deliver a home that they are willing to buy.

A critical design decision for this type of market is the exterior colors and materials. In the past, many builders held the misguided notion that the multi-family buyer was making a "sacrifice housing choice". Perhaps this was true for some, but that is not the case for all today. Many consumers are seeking this alternative housing choice because of the personal security it offers and the freedom it allows for their lifestyles. Common-area maintenance grants multi-family homeowners with more time to live their lives, instead of maintaining them.

Using Color as a Marketing Tool
Even the most talented architectural color consultant cannot achieve optimum color design if the canvas for its placement is misplaced or ill conceived. There are a number of guiding principles we use in our multi-family work that have been proven winners for our clients over the years:

Know thy buyers
Do predictability and conformity motivate them? Or are they choosing a multi-family home because of some latent desire to express individuality? Understanding a buyer's mentality is the first step to an evolved design decision.