There was a time in America when you could walk to the corner market, and maybe even to work. When neighbors greeted each other from their front porches along wide, tree-lined streets. When houses with well-scaled features, useful details, and rear-loaded, alley-accessed garages added character to the neighborhood while providing practicality and efficiency for their owners.

The New Urban Challenge, encompassing three, 2,300 square-foot residences that redefine the average new house in America, offers a unique response to the diversity of today's home buyers and their renewed demand for a return to urban vitality, accessibility, and comfort.

Produced by BUILDER and HOME magazines and built by David Weekiey Homes, The New Urban Challenge features a villa for a modem couple with no children, a shingled cottage for active adults, and a classic residence that appeals to young families. Thanks to the innovative work of three leading architectural teams and the generosity of the project's sponsors, the trio of two-story houses all feature designs, details and products that simplify daily life, accommodate lifestyle changes and create connections with neighbors.
Photos courtesy of James F. Wilson

The Villa For Modern Couples with no children

Shingled Cottage For Active Adults

Classic Residence For Yourng Families