Does Affordable Housing Have to Look Bad?

Allison Arieff explodes the unspoken myth that public housing must look cheap and unattractive, citing some stellar examples of affordable design.

1 minute read

October 21, 2011, 11:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

"Conventional thinking on affordability proceeds from the misguided premise that anything well-designed will be, and look, expensive so it follows that design should not be a priority," writes Arieff.

"Further, the argument goes, anything well-designed will be too appealing to eligible to tenants, thus discouraging them from ever leaving."

David Baker Architects' Armstrong Place in San Francisco is just one example presented by Arieff of a project that bucks the trend by using bright colors and including spaces for gardens.

FULL STORY: Affordable Housing That Doesn't Scream 'Affordable'

Friday, October 21, 2011 in The Atlantic Cities

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