DenverUrbanism Poppin’ Off on Small Lots w/ Jason King - #30
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May 6, 2026 Jason King, a senior associate architect at LOHA known for affordable housing and small-scale urbanism, discusses designing community-driven, street-friendly housing across Los Angeles, Detroit, and Denver. He talks about engaging nonprofits and neighbors, zoning and parking reforms that unlock density, adapting social outdoor spaces to different climates, and why neighborhood-led development matters.
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Architects Shape Projects In The First Two Weeks
- Architects lead projects from day one by doing intensive two- to three-week site studies that define density, zoning constraints, and a big design idea.
- Jason King described turning those studies into renderings and density diagrams that become the project's guiding concept for all later phases.
Design As A Studiowide Social Process
- LOHA treats architecture as a social act by pinning work on a studio wall and inviting the whole office to critique and improve designs.
- The collaborative pin-up process plus developer and community conversations produces ideas tested across the team and stakeholders.
Design For Daylight And Shared Spaces
- Prioritize daylight, fresh air, and communal spaces when designing affordable housing to create healthy, social environments.
- Jason King noted terraces, plazas, and organized adjacencies often end up celebrated rather than regretted by developers.