studio 3
Sustainable Community Housing
“Interlocking Diversty”
spring ‘24
Partner: Shaista Rahim
Focusing on Pittsburgh's ever-growing diverse population, we must address the limited housing available for these communities. We plan to convert an existing parking lot in the Oakland area into sustainable housing for graduate students and the immigrant population.
Aerial view of the site
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Process
First, we investigated the land ownerships near our site to determine the needs such as greenspace and the types of buildings trying to fulfill a need that is missing in the area. Therefore, in our final design, we wanted a big greenspace for the Oakland community.
The goal of our site is to foster a community of people from various walks of life. Pittsburgh, known for its three rivers that converge downtown and in the Oakland area, is where these communities have chosen to settle. The rivers meet at "The Point" downtown, each flowing toward a common destination. Similarly, our site attracts and brings together people from different backgrounds to Sennott.
Floor Plans
With intentional landscaping, we create spaces that encourage interaction among neighbors and the community. The apartment units themselves are unique to each resident. Each unit is a two-story home that offers a sense of individuality, with each façade designed to be distinct from the neighboring one. The pathways weave through the site, zigzagging and intersecting, ultimately leading people to a shared destination.
