Opticos Design Berkeley, California

Dan Parolek is an urban strategist, architect, and urban designer who founded Opticos Design in 1998. He is nationally recognized for creating the concept of Missing Middle Housing, a movement that has redefined how cities and developers approach placemaking, housing solutions, and zoning reform. His expertise has inspired a shift toward human-centered, walkable communities that address today’s most pressing housing and urban challenges. Dan’s leadership is sought in communities throughout the nation, propelling him to spearhead projects such as Culdesac Tempe, the largest car-free community in the country, and Prairie Queen, the nation’s first fully Missing Middle Housing neighborhood. His public sector work includes transforming dead malls into communities, such as Vallco Town Center in Cupertino, and revitalizing downtown cores in Mesa, AZ, and Davis, CA, using form-based zoning strategies to attract investment and promote sustainable growth. As co-founder of the Form-Based Code Institute, Dan has led groundbreaking zoning reform initiatives globally, from neighborhood and city planning to advising on sustainable development in Gabon, Africa. His book, Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to the Housing Crisis, has been featured in high-profile publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post.