The Paseos at Montclair North

Built on the backbone of a transit focused specific plan by Moule-Polyzoides, the Paseos is a walkable neighborhood anchored by a linear public park. The site—with former lives as a citrus grove and then a retail center—is sandwiched between Montclair Plaza Mall and the regional Metrolink transit station. The 384 townhouse units find their style cues in a contemporary Andalusian meets Santa Barbara expression.

To simplify the complexity of layered public and private spaces, we identified typologies for paseos, parking courts, and public or semi-public spaces. We set about to craft an identifiable sense of place through references to Montclair’s not too distant agricultural history. Crops such as avocado and oranges were selected to color walls and furniture, influence planting selections, and serve as a wayfinding device to orient residents and visitors.