The Hovey family is internationally known for their unique architectural style. Since launching the family-owned architecture and development company Optima in 1978, the Hoveys have brought to life more than 5,300 units spanning 30 multifamily projects, some in Arizona.
The original goal of co-founder David Hovey Sr. was to reinvent residential housing by optimizing development, design and construction within a single company. He recognized an opportunity to raise the design standard by building architecturally ambitious housing that elevates the sense of home for modern-style enthusiasts with contemporary lifestyles. His wife, Eileen, the other co-founder, has also been instrumental since day one and was actually responsible for choosing the name Optima and even scouting and acquiring the land for Optima’s first project in 1978.
An ecological mindset has taken center stage at the Hovey Residences here in Arizona. By minimizing the building footprint and putting parking 100 percent underground, they've created more open space and mitigated the heat island effect. The innovative vertical landscaping system allows each residential unit to have a private outdoor space, and the building façades create shade and shadows that help minimize the heat factor. Energy conservation and carbon dioxide emission reduction are achieved with high-performance glazing, overhangs and careful building configuration. Kierland has been the prototype for the Phoenix Green Construction Code for resilient, high-performance buildings.
"We believe it is the right thing to do for 21st-century residential housing and that landscaping is extremely important to creating sustainability as well as a pleasant overall community environment," David Jr. says. "We put an emphasis on minimizing hard materials like blacktop, roads and parking lots surrounding our buildings to create more open green space. We have committed ourselves to the Architecture 2030 Challenge, with the mission of being carbon-neutral by the year 2030."
The Hoveys' vision continues to grow. In the last year, David Hovey Sr. passed the reins to his children Tara and David Jr. David Hovey Jr. is the new president focused on Arizona and also the overall architectural design. David Jr. has pushed the envelope of prefabrication innovation and technology to keep the company at the cutting edge in contemporary building methods. He invented and holds a patent for a standardized building system, receiving many awards from National AIA Housing, AIA Distinguished Buildings, AIA Honor Awards, AIA Divine Detail and the AIA Innovation.