A modular, efficient townhome design in Chicago is being adapted from its roots as a youth homelessness solution into market-rate housing alternatives for overlooked citizens.

AIA National
”Citizen Design” 2017

Details
Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois
44,500 m² / New Construction
Design Competition 2016
In collaboration with Terry “Vic” Howell and Lon Stousland

Architect Notes
The Tiny Homes Competition was an international design competition seeking proposals for a community of tiny homes to house Chicago youth experiencing chronic homelessness. Via Chicago developed a potential alternative to address youth homelessness in Chicago. "This Is a Home for Living In" was selected as the winning design from a field of nearly 300 entries.

"This is a Home for Living In" surrounds a communal courtyard with 11 low-cost housing units for college students who struggle to access reliable housing options. Rather than attempting to radically "reinvent housing," the design draws heavily on proven planning techniques, traditional & low-cost construction methods, and familiar, durable materials to create a building that feels like a natural fit within the existing neighborhood. Units open onto a landscaped internal courtyard, and are accessed via a shared breezeway that doubles as a semi-private outdoor space for each resident. Sloped ceilings provide generous daylight & natural ventilation, and make the unit feel far shockingly spacious. This is not a cute weekend cabin to be pulled around on a trailer, or a cheaply-built, metal-clad shed. It is a solid, permanent, and honest home - one which intends to make a lasting contribution to the community.

A full-scale model was constructed for the Tiny Homes Summit at UIC. Major elements were prefabricated off-site, then quickly erected during a two-day period. Hundreds of summit participants, nearby residents, UIC students, and local developers were able to personally experience the potential as they explored the unit.

Recognition
AIA Tiny Homes Competition Winning Entry, March 2016
AIA Emerging Professionals Award 2017

Featured in Chicago Reader, January 2018
Featured in Curbed Chicago, September 2016
Featured on NPR, May 2016
Featured in DNAInfo, April 2016
Featured in Chicago Mag, April 2016
Featured in Windy City Times, April 2016
Featured in The Architects Newspaper, March 2016