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Unsurprisingly in an era of ever-rising home prices, the big real estate news these days is all about affordable housing. How much do we need? How do we fund it? And where should it be built?
While more communities are welcoming affordable housing, there’s still a stigma attached to the words. Part of it is because of a common perception of what it looks like: unsightly, unadorned brick towers or townhouses of cold concrete.
But as developers, architects, and communities all warm to the notion of public housing, some of it is starting to look pretty darn cool. The rules are changing. Below, a small sampling of the many innovative designs out there.
MWA Architects
Stephens Creek Crossing in Portland, OR
MWA Architects designed this “mixed-use, affordable housing development that replaced 60 dilapidated apartments in southwest Portland.” It has 122 apartments, including one- to four-bedroom flats and townhouses, plus two community centers and a Head Start school. According to MWA, “Large windows afford residents outside views that connect them to the landscape and enhance their sense of security.”
MWA Architects
Make It Right
Make It Right homes in New Orleans, LA
Founded by Brad Pitt, the nonprofit Make It Right has built more than 100 homes in New Orleans’ devastated Lower Ninth Ward—and they all have LEED Platinum certification. There are 21 customizable designs, from single-family to duplex houses, at an average of 1,400 square feet. So far they house more than 350 people. The group is also at work on housing in Kansas City and Newark.
Make It Right
David Baker Architects
Art Ark in San Jose, CA
David Baker Architects
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Moore Ruble Yudell
Pico Housing in Santa Monica, CA
Designed by Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners, this housing is 100% affordable (as opposed to mixed income), with 33 units above retail and community spaces. “The project strives to contribute to the life of its residents, neighbors and the City, by providing a pedestrian-friendly urban façade to enliven the corner of Pico and 28th Street.”
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
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Via Verde
Via Verde in the Bronx, NY
Developed by Phipps Houses and Jonathan Rose Companies with Dattner Architects and Grimshaw, this 1.5-acre site is designed for “green and healthy urban living.” It’s mixed use and mixed income, with 151 rental apartments and 71 co-ops. “Via Verde’s stepped form is inspired by the integration of nature and city.”
VIa Verde
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Koning Eizenberg Architects
Hancock Lofts in West Hollywood, CA
Designed by Koning Eizenberg Architects, this mixed-use development “creates an iconic corner in West Hollywood, CA.” The look, they say, “is rooted in sustainable strategies: all units are cross-ventilated and sliding wood screens are used to shade boulevard flats and moderate the level of engagement with the busy street below.”
Koning Eizenberg Architects
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