Lake Worth Beach is a small coastal town in Palm Beach County, Florida, located about 60 miles north of Miami. The project is sited within a historic district of small-scale homes and apartment buildings.

Typology references

The historic district comprises two primary housing types: the tiny cottage and the catwalk apartment building. The cottage hews back to the founding of the town in 1913 when it was primarily comprised of small vacation homes for farmers. The catwalk type is indicative of the postwar boom and the need for affordable housing.

Fortuitously, contemporary modular homes are of similar size and proportion to historic cottages.

One stream of the investigation was the design of an effective unit type for the contemporary lifestyle. The architect settled on a 12’x33’x4” module.

By stacking the units in a low-rise configuration, upper and lower units assume unique qualities.

The architect collaborated with a boat designer in internal fittings and furnishings to optimize functionality and comfort

Maximum efficiency is achieved by the factory producing the housing modules. The width and height are optimized for road travel. On-site assembly is quick, minimizing impact to the surrounding neighborhood.

Two strategies were developed. Each builds on the dual traditions of the town: small cottages and catwalk apartment houses. It builds upon the idea that these complimentary urban patterns can be merged.

Exterior facades will combine metal siding (a contemporary take on vertical board and batten siding) and colorful paneling.

Exterior facades will combine metal siding (a contemporary take on vertical board and batten siding) and colorful paneling.