Perlman’s win was for “designing a multigenerational hub that flexes as needs change.”
From the street, the nearly 3,000-square-foot house is acting like a single-family home.
Inside, it’s a house that enables multiple generations to live together or just a doorway apart.
The following commentary byHoward Perlmanis adapted from his acceptance speech at HIVE.
“This award means a lot to me because it’s not just about another pretty house.
It’s about people and how we can help them live more meaningful lives together.
Kids will grow up in them.
People will grow old in them.
“But today those families make up barely 19 percent of our households.
In 1960, just 9 percent of households were headed by an unmarried parent with children.
Today, 34 percent are.
Typically, it’s their parents their children’s grandparents.
“This relationship is healthy for the grandparents, too.
“We came up with designs that look, from the outside, like beautiful single-family homes.
“Each residence has everything a home should have.
But there’s a door in between them that, when left open, allows everyone to live together.
When the door is closed, each residence has privacy.
There were obstacles, mainly due to zoning ordinances.
As such, a house couldn’t have two main entrances or be metered separately.
Since the rules vary from location to location, we’ve had to deal with each municipality individually.
“Construction of NextGen homes began in Arizona in 2011, in the middle of the recession.
Yet, the homes sold when nothing was selling, and they’re still selling today.
That first design has evolved into several other NextGen homes.
But we do know about humans and what they need.
“People need a home they can share comfortably with those who matter most to them.
