Founded in 1970
A Client-Centered Practice
FYI
Press Release
Lauterbach & Associates, Architects, announced that St. Vincent's affordable housing development in Santa Barbara, for which the firm provided the architectural services, has been chosen as one of fourteen semi-finalists for the I. Donald Terner Prize. (Semi-finalists were chosen from 53 applications from over 21 states.)
The award recognizes successful and innovative affordable housing projects and their leadership teams. The award honors Donald Terner's vision and principles and is given to the planning, design and development professions as well as to public officials, community representatives, housing activists, and government and private funders by identifying outstanding best practices in the field.
St. Vincent's is a project managed and funded by Mercy Housing California and the Daughters of Charity. The family component, St. Vincent's Gardens, provides housing for up to 72 families and the senior component, Villa Caridad, offers 95 units. Based on the developer's desire to preserve and restore the original landscape, St. Vincent's was designed to provide for a pleasant wooded feel, which includes bicycle paths and hiking trails. The project also benefits its residents and the surrounding community by offering playgrounds, a sports field, and a community center.
Lauterbach & Associates, Architects is a Ventura County firm offering a complete range of architectural and planning services. As a professional team of experienced architects and skilled support staff, we are able to give comprehensive service to our clients from project inception to the final inspection and the day of the ribbon-cutting.
L & A (as we are known) has been a part of Ventura County since our founding in 1970. Our roots are here and we take pride in the depth of our knowledge and understanding of our communities. And, like everywhere, this has been a time of change. Having not only seen the changes but having been a part of them, we have unique insights to offer to anyone hoping to build or remodel in this area.
Our region has transitioned from an economy relying primarily on agriculture, oil, and military bases to one of great diversity. Of course we still have beaches and tourists-and the Coastal Commission. Farmlands and SOAR (Save Our Agricultural Resources). We've become a bedroom community for both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. This brings a need both for housing and traffic mitigation. New industries. New restrictions.
New opportunities.
Green is no longer just another pretty color. Increased awareness of the impact of "the built environment" on the environment itself means new considerations. Some of this is just what we used to call good architecture: taking care to orient the building to the site, using natural light, suiting the design and materials to the climate, making the most of what occurs naturally, from breezes to sunshine.
But green has expanded to many detailed and specialized areas, from energy consumption to environmentally friendly materials, to thoughtful construction techniques and recycling of materials.
Our experience, knowledge, and professional skills are at your service which combined with our understanding of our distinctive area make us highly effective partners in the success of your project.