ProBuilder | 4 Single-Family Home Designs That Provide Higher Density Without the Shortcomings
- osmosis
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Creative high density design solutions for balancing density with livability and community integration
Larry W. Garnett June 9, 2025
Lot costs are just one contributing factor to high home prices, especially for parcels located close to employment, shopping, and entertainment.
The primary solution for more attainable prices is to plan and build more homes per acre of land. But the mere mention of high density at planning and zoning meetings often triggers intense feelings among municipal leaders, as well as for homeowners who fear that higher density will reduce the value of larger existing homes nearby.
Fortunately, many architects and designers are creating dramatically new and exciting designs for smaller homes and lots, easing that anxiety and reducing pushback. Consider the cottages, courts, and other carefully designed small-lot homes featured here that seamlessly integrate into traditional neighborhoods.
Pocket Homes
ARCHITECT: Tucker Huey, Osmosis Architecture, thuey@osmosisarchitecture.com
DIMENSIONS: Width: 20 feet / Length: 35 feet / Total area: 868 sf
The Pocket Home concept reimagines how attainable housing can be integrated into traditional neighborhoods.
Set on 25-foot-by-50-foot lots at the ends of traditional 500-foot-by-100-foot blocks, these compact homes of 650 to 870 square feet create new paths to ownership for essential workers, first-time buyers, and downsizers.
Designed for efficiency, Pocket Homes prioritize livability with open layouts, multiuse spaces, and welcoming front porches, all while reducing financial and spatial barriers. And they are designed to integrate, adding pockets of density while preserving the character of the surrounding community.
For builders, this housing type is a smart, adaptable product. For cities, it’s a chance to support more inclusive neighborhoods—especially when paired with smart fee structures and zoning support.
A Single-story plan: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 650 sf B Two-story plan: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 868 sf C Conventional single-family homes and lot sizes minimize the impact of the smaller “pocket” homes D End-of-block integration complements the neighborhood fabric E Compact footprints, no basements, and no garages help ensure attainability
Read the full House Review and see all four featured designs here: