Re-Imagining Urban Dwelling

Housing is one of the most critical design challenges of the 21st century. Sparked by increased urbanization, issues around affordability, density, development, and displacement create stress on people and the urban environment. In Washington D.C., an inadequate supply of housing for families forces them to leave the city in search of more comfortable and affordable options. However, families are essential dwellers in a healthy urban fabric.

This thesis explores how architecture and empathic design-thinking can begin to address these issues and contribute to the health of the family unit and a healthy community. My thesis begs the question… what lifestyles are we encouraging by the way we design?

Dwelling is a more appropriate, personal, and empathic term for housing. Dwelling should meet the needs of its inhabitants and support three vital organs of urban life: social activity, peaceful refuge, and theatrical celebrations. A healthy city and a healthy dwelling should include all three. My goal is to re-imagine urban dwelling for families living in the city and how architecture can create intentional moments of connection between people and the city they are a part of – especially how ideas of transparency and movement or air, light and people can be agents of a healthier urban dwelling.

A new mid-rise multi-family dwelling in Adams Morgan, a colorful, diverse, artistic, and eclectic neighborhood in Washington D.C., creates a home that enhances the experience of dwelling for families. My thesis project supports the primary functions of dwelling and secondary functions of food creation through a kitchen incubator. The intention of the building is that it will serve as a space for growth, for individuals and for growing families, that it will be successful as both a well-designed home and a food lab that fosters collaboration and community for chefs and entrepreneurs who are growing their businesses and connections in the city. The building aims to incorporate living elements with nature integrated into the architecture in various ways. This home will be a space that understands the needs of its inhabitants, respects the context of the neighborhood, and supports a healthier framework of the larger city of Washington D.C.