Planning & Design

 

With over four decades of experience in architecture and community planning, Ross Chapin brings a deep commitment to human-scaled living, ecological stewardship, and the creation of places that foster connection and belonging. His work has helped shape a national movement toward pocket neighborhoods and walkable, resilient communities.

Since downsizing Ross Chapin Architects, Ross is no longer leading full-scale projects with an in-house team. Instead, he’s focusing on the work that matters most—projects with a compelling story and the potential to shift conventional thinking. He selects projects with care, taking on those he can manage personally or in collaboration with like-minded architects and planning colleagues.

These collaborations include projects such as:

• • • Pocket Neighborhoods and naturally-sociable neighborhoods

    • Mixed-income and attainable housing developments

    • Neuro-inclusive and multi-generational communities

    • Agri-villages and mixed-use neighborhoods

    • Housing co-operatives and community land trusts

    • Multi-suite home designs and accessory dwelling units

Each of these contributes in its own way to a more thriving, resilient, equitable, and beautiful world.

A Note on Approach

Ross’s approach is rooted in careful listening, thoughtful partnership, and uncovering the deeper life of a place. Rather than imposing a vision from the outside, he engages in a collaborative unfolding process—one that honors the unique character of the land, the needs of the people involved, and the emerging story of the community.

This process is inspired by the principles of pattern language, a design framework that identifies timeless qualities that make spaces feel alive and supportive of human life. Ross helps teams identify those qualities through dialogue, sketches, pattern writing, and storytelling—tools that bring clarity and coherence to even the most complex projects.

Whether advising on a site plan, mentoring a young designer, or co-creating a neighborhood vision, Ross offers a steady presence and seasoned perspective—one that helps good projects become truly life-giving ones.

The GoodFit Collection

Augmenting these planning and design services, Ross draws upon the GoodFit Collection—a curated set of modest, right-sized house plans designed to work beautifully in pocket neighborhoods, small-scale infill sites, and individual home lots. These plans reflect years of hands-on experience and have been refined in the field with the help of skilled craftsman builders.

For developers, builders, and homeowners, the GoodFit Collection provides a cost-effective way to bring thoughtful design into a project without the time and expense of starting from scratch.