High Aesthetic
Chicago has a long history of magnificent and monumental architecture. It is a city filled with style, elegance, strength, and beauty. While it is impossible to define what actually constitutes high-style, there are relevant factors that separate it from poor design. According to the City Design Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago,
“…when judging the aesthetic quality of affordable housing, the following criteria are particularly relevant: cultural appropriateness, appeal of the housing development both for the residents and the neighbors, and the extent to which the new development complements its physical context.”
It is crucial that when developing affordable housing to seek the input of community residents, ideally throughout the design and construction process. This is done in order to ensure that the project fits with the desires of residents, as well blend with the thematic styles of the surrounding community.
New buildings, when designed and constructed properly, can emerge as symbols of vitality and ingenuity and energize communities. The goal of any project is to find the subtle balance between neighborhood fit and innovative aesthetics. Below is a short listing of award winning projects in the Chicago metropolitan area that demonstrate many of the characteristics inherent in good architectural design, and which play vital roles in ameliorating Chicago's affordable-housing shortage.
Award Winning Good Design: Chicago
- Project: Rebecca Johnson Apartments
- Architect: Weese, Langley, Weese Ltd -2003
- Address: 2822 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL
- Sponsor/Owner: Deborah's Place
- About: Beautiful arched windows and doorways, a striking gabled roof, and the addition of a private courtyard were all preserved in the renovation of the former orphanage into living space for approximately 90 homeless women.
- Project: Wentworth Commons
- Architect: Harley Ellis Deveraux-2007
- Address: 11045 S. Wentworth Ave., Chicago, IL
- Sponsor/Owner: Mercy Lakefront Housing
- About: Wentworth commons embodies many of the characteristics of good design. Its unique rooflines and color scheme provide an excellent focal point for the Roseland community. The building also garnered LEED certification, indicating the importance which architects placed upon sustainability.
- Project: Solid Ground Supportive Housing
- Architect: Landon Bone Baker Architects-2008
- Address: 3507 W. North Ave. Chicago, IL
- Sponsor/Owner: La Casa Norte
- About: Formerly a commercial warehouse, this building now serves as a home for homeless young men, and features a number of positive good design features with regards to household adaptability and style.
Resources
Public Architecture: “Established in 2002, Public Architecture identifies and solves practical problems of human interaction in the built environment and acts as a catalyst for public discourse through education, advocacy, and the design of public spaces and amenities”
http://www.publicarchitecture.org/
Design Advisor: The Affordable Housing-Design Advisor has been developed to help anyone involved in the production of affordable housing achieve higher design quality. It is full of useful - and usable - information that can be accessed in a variety of ways.
The 1% Program: The 1%, a program of Public Architecture, connects nonprofits with architecture and design firms willing to give of their time pro bono.
Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence: An annual award given to projects that support good design in neighborhoods that encourage redevelopment and community building.
