Living & Style HOME
“The Highlands [is] the oldest neighborhood in the city, for sure, and you don’t see a lot of new projects there. It’s very old houses that have been there for a long time, and many people who live in those houses are multigenerational and don’t really like to see the change,” Maas explains. That may be true for older parts, but the city of Encinitas has been working toward greater density with its revamp of the 1979 State Density Bonus Law in AB2345, which focuses on low-income housing projects and adds incentives for developments that create more units. Though the F Street Residences’ four townhome units are not a low-income project, Maas adds, “What we did, the city wants to see. You know, it’s funny, in Encinitas, duplexes are density. Anywhere else, it’s not even close.” Field X Studio is based in Cardiff-by-the-Sea and run by residents of North County. Since completing this inaugural build in 2022, Field X Studio has since added 10 projects to its roster, ranging from design to build and development. Local residents can put away the pitchforks. The developers have worked to create a sense of place that aligns with the local culture. Maas, who grew up on the island of O’ahu and now calls Cardiff home, brings a sense of community sensitivity to each Field X Studio project, along with his nearly 20 years of experience as an architect. “We saw the lack of quality in the development projects that were happening in North County and the way our city has kind of been
shaped by out-of-town developers, and we thought, ‘Gosh, we live here. We do this. Let’s do it ourselves and it'll be a great project,’” Maas says.
LEFT, ABOVE The townhomes’ design echoes the clean, coastal charm that characterizes Encinitas.
MAY 2023 50
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker