From the outside, Scottsdale’s Optima Camelview Village is undoubtedly impressive— its sleek lines, creative angles and plentiful glass make for an eye-catching arrangement. But what’s more, its luxury and innovation may just make this eco-friendly community one condominium that’s unlike the rest.

Although the 677-unit Optima Camelview Village is still in its third and final phase of construction and its 11 bridge-linked buildings won’t be completed for another year and a half, the project is already 84 percent sold with over 485 occupied units. And, despite the recent economic downturn, the building’s 2008 sales increased by 71 percent over those in 2007. It’s no coincidence that this mixed-use community continues to produce positive results—the peaceful ambiance, ideal location, unique amenities and sustainable design speak for themselves.

Led by Illinois-based architect and builder David Hovey, the Optima company was founded in 1978 in Chicago, where to this day most of its modern projects are based. In Scottsdale, Camelview Village is no exception to the inventive, award-winning Optima standard. In fact, it was recently named one of the 18 greatest architectural achievements in Arizona by the American Institute of Architects. “Camelview Village is a 21st-century version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon with a myriad of desert plants cascading from the outdoor roof terraces and bridges,” Hovey says.

Located just off Scottsdale Road near Fashion Square Mall, this modern residential and commercial building, which comprises glass, steel and dramatic overhangs, is hard to miss. But it’s the not-so-obvious details that really impress. Besides the sheer beauty of its intricate shapes and urban-village atmosphere, Optima Camelview is earth-friendly—enough so that the project, once complete, is positioned for LEED silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the United States Green Building Council. “This is one of the foremost developments worldwide in energy efficiency and green building design,” Hovey says.

A walk through Camelview’s 10-acre community park feels surprisingly like a serene and private garden stroll due to the fountains and waterfall that provide evaporative cooling and reduction of urban noise. Also impressive is the landscaping—on the 13-acre site, 17 acres of roof
gardens were constructed—a completely eco-friendly project. Through a year-long study with an Arizona State University professor of horticulture, native plant species were tested to determine the best plant categories to flourish on the terraces and along the walkways; those of which require little to no maintenance, providing a haven for wildlife, re-oxygenating the air and reducing smog and dust levels.

In addition, one third of the building materials were recycled, including the prefabricated steel that the structure is composed of. Excess electrical lighting and air-conditioning are also unnecessary due to the external sun-shading components as well as the prevailing floor-to-ceiling glass windows, made with UV-protective glass.

Not to be upstaged by its exterior, Camelview’s residential units provide endless daylight, views of Camelback and Mummy mountains, warm marble countertops and options for owners to customize their unit’s size and shading capabilities.

And while Optima prides itself on the property’s outdoor landscaping, the lush environment isn’t limited to public space. Rather, each unit has its own green-roofed landscaped terrace (some with more than one), featuring the self-sufficient plant life prevalent on the property. “Because every residence has its own outdoor roof terrace to take advantage of the desert climate, the buildings merge as expanding and subsiding pyramids with provocative, positive and negative space,” Hovey says. “Every residence is spectacularly unique with its own special views, location and floor plan in relation to colorful outdoor terrace landscaping.”

Among Optima’s most recent Camelview Village and the three-year-old Biltmore Towers in Phoenix, Hovey is also taking his modern marvels up north. Completed over the last few years are four homes in the Saguaro Forest at Desert Mountain community, where residents will find open and airy modern-style homes that make use of Optima’s signature technology and materials, but are also unique in their own right.

Although Hovey’s firm has only been building on Arizona property since 2000, its fresh and innovative designs have likely transformed the way many locals look at modern architecture. Gone are the days of stone-cold contemporary design. In its place is an inviting, tranquil environment suitable for any eco-enthusiast—a style we hope will be an Arizona mainstay for years to come.