Is it possible to provide low-cost housing without neglecting the community?

For an affordable housing project in Chicago, we reconsidered the tiny home typology to create a community focused design.

4318 S Vernon Avenue is an undistinguished site located on the outskirts of Chicago that has been selected to be developed into an affordable and subsidized housing targeting young adults without stable housing.

While most low-cost housing arrange units side by side in a linear fashion for the sake of simplicity in the cost of construction, a more community driven design could be derived by arranging the housing units in a circular array. This creates a centrally focused space which is ideal for social gatherings and enhances the feeling of communal living.

In designing the housing modules, the everyday needs of the occupants were distinguished between those which were considered private, semi-private and public. It is envisioned that the openness of the design will not only offer a living space for young adults, but also contribute to the surrounding community in its display of public activity.