Opticos Design Berkeley, California

Dan Parolek is an urban strategist and architect 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 book, "Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small is available at the IBS book store. He and his work has been featured in high-profile publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Dan’s leadership is sought by innovative cities and developers across the country, propelling him to spearhead the site planning and architectufe for 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. Both are BALA Award winners. 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 planning zoning strategies to attract investment and promote sustainable growth. Prior to founding Opticos, Daniel worked with Robert AM Stern Architects in New York City. Daniel has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Urban Design from the University of California at Berkeley. Daniel lvoes international travel, especially to Italy. His passion for walkable urban places began while growing up in the small town of Columbus, Nebraska.