Pattern Book Homes for 21st Century Michigan
By taking a cue from historic precedents, cutting down on the cost of design, and offering zoning reform tools to streamline review, this two-volume set of guides and copyright-free construction plans is giving communities the tools to create new homes right where residents want to live.
How-to Manuals
We have heard persistent demand from developers and builders who have asked for more details on how to get going with Pattern Book Homes plans in their communities. These how-to manuals are one of our tools for responding to urgent housing needs across Michigan. Our target audiences are small- to medium-sized developers trying to enter the housing market and local municipalities seeking to line up pre-reviewed plans with fewer barriers to building more homes. Kudos also to the City of Grand Rapids for their Permit-Ready Plans Program, which overlaps with this project.
The Linden – An up-down two-family home.
The Grove – A substantial four-family home configurable for wide or narrow lots.
The Abbot – This small cottage configurable on grade or elevated above a two-car garage. This plan is popular as an ADU or configured in a cottage court.
The Baxter – A two story floor plan, connecting as a side-by-side duplex or triplex.
The Capitol – An innovative duplex with one smaller unit on the primary floor, topped by a larger unit on the second and third floors.
The Single-Family Home – A lighter, narrower, one-story house for one family.
The Duplex A – A two story double house with a pair of two-bedroom units.
The Quadplex – Another four-family home with two-bedroom units and abundant porch space.
Many thanks to our funders at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) as well as the talented team at Driven Design for their work showcasing the plans created by East Arbor Architecture and Oak Street Design.
Volume I: This Used to Be Normal
What’s old is new again—and a beloved chapter in architectural history can be a part of our strategy for tackling Michigan’s shortage of homes. To that end, the League offered This Used to Be Normal: Pattern Book Homes for 21st Century Michigan, released in September 2022.
Volume II: The Missing Middle Mixtape
Sequel to the successful first volume, The Missing Middle Mixtape: More Pattern Book Homes for 21st Century Michigan creates a remix on the theme of Pattern Book Homes–inspired designs that can be used to spur new housing construction in Michigan cities.
Get the plans
Volume I or Volume II, the goal is the same: changing hearts and minds to welcome more and different housing formats into the neighborhoods we already love. Because at the Michigan Municipal League, we love where you live.
For support with using these plans in your community, or to share your experience, contact project lead Melissa Milton-Pung, MHP, EDFP, at [email protected], or Richard Murphy, AICP, at [email protected]
This project was funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation as part of the Redevelopment Ready Communities program. The Michigan Municipal League provided concept ideation, narrative, and project management. East Arbor Architects produced the home patterns. Piper + Gold Public Relations provided graphic design and layout of the guides.