Moule & Polyzoides was responsible for site planning, development of housing types and design of the community center for this affordable housing development, located on a hillside overlooking Ruidoso Downs in southeast New Mexico.

The design for Ladera was based on orientation to the solar and lunar cycles as found in ancient native sites such as Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. The orientation allowed for the disposition of 60 units of mixed-income housing in such a way as to both create a clear sense of community and mitigate perceived density. The radial arrangement creates a series of courtyards, with each unit facing a natural pedestrian court and a motor court paved with decomposed granite and filled with flowering trees. The plan is arranged around the community center, which features a large green for the residents. The project appears as a compact hamlet from the road and town below, with structures framed by hills and trees.