Making Room: Housing for a Changing America

Exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Housing exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Exhibition photo by Yassine El Mansouri

Developer Evan Granoff saw an opportunity to reinvent downtown Providence’s historic marketplace. Built in 1828 and recognized as the nation’s first enclosed shopping the mall, the Arcade’s two upper stories now house 48 micro lofts ranging from 225 to 300 square feet. What the studios lack in space is more than made up for with convenient access to lower-level retail shops and neighborhood cultural amenities. Photo by Ben Jacobsen, courtesy Northeast Collaborative Architects

The Lydia—one of the pre-designed accessory units featured in the Alley Flat Initiative Design Catalog—is a one-bedroom, one-bath, 584-square-foot flat. One of two ADA-accessible models, the Lydia also features a metal roof and covered, front porch. The Initiative is a unique partnership between three nonprofits and the City of Austin that helps property owners build affordable and sustainable accessory dwellings. Photograph by Sam Gelfand, courtesy The Alley Flat Initiative

Opened in 2016, the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence is a stunningly-modern, all studio apartment building for low-income residents—including formerly homeless veterans—that includes onsite support services. The project was spearheaded by Community Solutions, a nonprofit focused on solving problems connected to homelessness. Photo courtesy DLR Group

Whether opting for a modern, or cottage-like aesthetic, tiny houses typically include a bedroom loft with upper level windows for plenty of natural light. Technically speaking, most are recreational vehicles (RVs). Exterior of The Mohican model, photograph courtesy Modern Tiny Living, LLC

The inherent flexibility and adaptability of the Shotgun Chameleon House in Houston grew from designer Zui Ng’s desire to create an economically and environmentally sustainable house. For example, if the owner chooses to rent out part of the home, the exterior staircase serves as a separate entrance for second floor inhabitants, or direct access to the front porch. The wooden slats provide privacy, but also let in sunlight and air to help ventilate the home. Photograph by Paul Hester, courtesy ZDES

Almost half of the micro-units in Carmel Place, including those set aside for veterans, were outfitted with flexible furnishings that integrate seating, a wall-bed, and storage. Additional furnishings are provided through Ollie, an all-inclusive property manager that provides members/residents with hotel-like services. Photograph by Pablo Enriquez, courtesy nARCHITECTS

Aria Cohousing, located in a former Denver convent, represents a new twist on the cohousing concept: one where a developer jump starts the community-formation process. The Sisters of St. Francis sold their former home and 17.5 of the 20 acres surrounding it, to Urban Ventures, a local developer. Today, the four-story building is home to 28 one- to three-bedroom residences. Courtesy Urban Ventures, LLC.

Community First! Village outside of Austin, Texas, is a tiny home and RV neighborhood which provides sustainable, affordable housing and supportive services for the chronically disabled and homeless. Courtesy Mobile Loaves & Fishes

Constructed modularly in just four weeks, Carmel Place is New York’s first micro-unit building. While the 55-studio-apartment modules were being built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the building’s foundations were being prepared, greatly reducing disruption to the neighborhood. Photo by Field Condition; Courtesy nARCHITECTS.

The Choy House, in Queens, is an inspired solution for housing an extended, multigenerational family. Three independent but interconnected spaces coexist under one roof. The house includes two sets of internal staircases, one for each of the brothers’ homes. The lower-level—which is where the grandmother lives—joins the two other sections of the house to each other and opens onto the terraced garden enjoyed by the whole family. Photo by Michael Moran, courtesy O'Neill Rose Architects

The Choy House, in Queens, is an inspired solution for housing an extended, multigenerational family. Three independent but interconnected spaces coexist under one roof. The house includes two sets of internal staircases, one for each of the brothers’ homes. The lower-level—which is where the grandmother lives—joins the two other sections of the house to each other and opens onto the terraced garden enjoyed by the whole family. Photo by Michael Moran, courtesy O'Neill Rose Architects

WeLive in Crystal City, Virginia, offers micro apartments with unique amenities: each 3-story neighborhood revolves around a communal kitchen, as well as a dining and media lounge area, easily accessible from other floors via an open staircase. ©Assembly Studio 2016, Courtesy WeLive

Las Abuelitas Kinship Housing in Tucson, Arizona, answers a need first articulated by foster grandparents and great-grandparents looking for a way to help each other and provide childcare. In this small rental community, each unit’s outdoor patio—with colorful shutters—is just steps away from multiple indoor and outdoor gathering and play spaces. Courtesy Poster Frost Mirto, 2015

Community First! Village outside of Austin, Texas, is a tiny home and RV neighborhood which provides sustainable, affordable housing and supportive services for the chronically disabled and homeless. Photo courtesy Mobile Loaves & Fishes