Square Villa Maria is a 20-unit condominium project providing good quality affordable housing. The project is built on three floors above an indoor garage, and has an elevator and wheelchair-accessible entrance. The units have 9-foot high ceilings and generous amounts of windows. The rear units also have a large balcony or direct access to a private garden planted with deciduous trees. Several sustainable strategies have been integrated in the project’s design. Large operable windows provide good natural daylighting and ventilation. The trees and balconies cast shadows on the windows to avoid excessive solar gain in summer, while permitting the penetration of the sun in other seasons, especially in winter. A high-efficiency building envelope, potable water use reduction, the use of healthy materials, and the integration of bicycle parking are provided for as well.

Year of construction : 2006

Architecture : Studio MMA