Within the new urbanist development of Civano, one of the last undeveloped lots was purchased with the hopes of providing housing for multiple persons. We worked with the city and the neighborhood to design a ‘non’ duplex: a residence with a primary and secondary but technically not a true duplex.

The design needed to ensure a nice home for each occupant, but when viewed from the street, the building looked, and felt, like a single family home. The smaller residence enables more spacious living by utilizing a spiral staircase to the second level bedroom and bathroom.

This allows for soaring ceilings from the first floor kitchen and dining area. A new front porch ties the modern stucco exterior walls into the vernacular of the neighborhood. A rainwater cistern funnels rainwater to the vegetation, a solar hot water system heats both units, and a photovoltaic array provides electricity. The design offers some solutions to increasing lack of housing for Tucson.