Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today’s Housing Crisis

By Daniel Parolek, with a case study by Garlynn Woodsong

This groundbreaking book offers a timely and visually rich guide to the housing types that fall between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, which architect and urban designer Daniel Parolek calls “Missing Middle Housing.” These forms, such as duplexes, fourplexes, bungalow courts, and small apartment buildings, have long been a part of walkable neighborhoods, but have become difficult to build under today’s zoning and development rules. As communities across the U.S. face rising housing costs, shifting demographics, and a growing demand for livable, walkable neighborhoods, this book shows how Missing Middle Housing can provide the attainable, human-scaled homes people need.

Woodsong Associates Managing Director Garlynn Woodsong contributed a case study to the book that showcases The Dekum Charles, a pioneering adaptive reuse project in Portland, Oregon. Developed by Woodsong Property Renovation Partners, LLC, a separate entity previously led by Garlynn, the project was the first permitted conversion of a single-family home to a fourplex under Portland’s modern commercial building code. The transformation involved lifting an 1890 Queen Anne Vernacular home onto a new foundation, constructing a new daylight basement, and rebuilding the top floor to restore the historic façade long hidden beneath layers of siding. The project brought the entire structure up to commercial-grade multifamily standards, with enhanced insulation, acoustic performance, and a weather-sealed building envelope designed to last another century.

The Dekum Charles exemplifies the kind of nuanced, small-scale infill housing that Parolek argues is essential to addressing today’s housing crisis. This book is a must-read for planners, designers, developers, and policymakers seeking practical, elegant solutions that align with a walkable, equitable, and climate-conscious future.

The book can be purchased through the publisher by clicking here.