233 N Emerson is a 16-unit infill housing project in North Portland that explores how much housing can fit on a typical 50-foot by 100-foot residential lot without sacrificing the qualities that make a home livable. The project treats the constraints of the standard Portland lot as a starting point for developing a more compact model of urban housing.

Rather than approaching density simply as a question of unit count, the design looks for ways to balance efficient use of the site with privacy, daylight, outdoor space and a clear relationship between individual homes and the larger building. The result is a model for small-scale multifamily development that can add substantial housing within established neighborhoods while working within the dimensions of Portland’s existing residential fabric.