The art of creating livable urban places has been largely forgotten in the recent past. As architects, we accept the responsibility to rediscover and reclaim the realm of placemaking. This is about beauty, but it is also about survival. A great shift is occurring in California over the issues of unrestrained growth, housing affordability and land conservation. In all our work we advocate for thoughtful increase in density and less reliance on cars wherever feasible. Our work also stresses choices in housing types as a means of creating more diverse communities.