Dan Parolek

Daniel Parolek is a nationally recognized thought leader in architecture, design, and urban planning, specifically in terms of creating livable, sustainable communities and buildings that reinforce them. Since establishing himself early in his career as an expert in these fields, he has won national competitions and awards recognizing his work and is often asked to contribute to publications and resources. He has helped found several nonprofit planning and architecture organizations, he regularly speaks at national conferences, and his projects have been featured in numerous publications. His strong interest in diverse building types, at different scales that bridge architecture and urban planning, drove his desire to start Opticos Design, Inc. in 2000. Over the years, he has become one of the leading practitioners of Form-Based Coding, a revolutionary new approach to zoning about which he co-wrote what’s been called “the definitive handbook,” and he is a founding board member of the Form-Based Codes Institute.