The Importance of Quality and Good Design

The incorporation of sustainable design elements should not be the only positive attribute of an affordable housing development; the building should also be a desirable place to live and congregate. According to Affordable Housing-Design Advisor, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, The American Institute of Architects, and a number of advocacy and community development organizations, there are four main criteria that define the essence of good design.

Projects should:  

• Meet the User's Needs
• Understand and Respond to Context
• Enhance the Neighborhood
• Be Built to Last

By meeting these four basic criteria, developers can ensure that they have created a space that is not only valuable to the resident and neighborhood in which it is located, but also help to change assumptions about the quality of affordable housing. Good design goes beyond simple aesthetics, and can focus on issues such as safety, building materials, landscaping, parking, and site layout.

Why is Good Design Important?

Design does matter! Well-designed projects become assets, rather than liabilities for the neighborhoods in which they are constructed. They can even create a source of pride for communities that have been forgotten or neglected over time. In stable areas good design is important because it can build on the existing qualities of the neighborhood and blend seamlessly to existing structures. By providing a layout and lighting scheme that enhances safety, residents can feel more secure in their homes. In the end, if the result is positive and well designed, then everyone wins.

How to Incorporate Good Design?

Affordable Housing-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.”-Affordable Housing-Design Advisor

This site is a collaborative effort by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in cooperation with The American Institute of Architects, Enterprise Community Partners Incorporated, The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, The Local Initiatives Support Corporation, The National Congress for Community Economic Development and The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. It provides great checklists, tools, case studies, and publications that all promote the incorporation of good design in a holistic and integrated manner.

Design Matters: Best Practice in Affordable Housing

"The City Design Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago compiled this Internet catalog to recognize and learn from the dedicated work of outstanding practitioners. A broad spectrum of projects, built between 1980-2000 is presented: housing that is functional, innovative, satisfying, and above all, affordable to households with limited incomes."-Design Matters

This site brings together a diverse number of affordable housing projects from over the years that embody the qualities of good design. This site highlights 12 affordable housing projects in the state of Illinois that are repersentative of good design features throughout Chicago and the state.