NEW HOUSING NY

Concept | 2007

In collaboration with Behnisch Architekten, studioMDA developed a proposal for the NHNY Legacy Project that explored a new model for affordable housing centered on community, quality of life, and access to natural light. Rather than approaching the site as a single large-scale development, the proposal sought to create a more varied and connected residential environment.

The concept organized the development as five interconnected buildings set within a 47,000-square-foot garden. Responding to the length, changing grade, and solar orientation of the site, each volume was positioned to maximize natural light, expand views from the residences, and create opportunities for social interaction and active living.

Varying in scale and orientation, the five buildings formed a more dynamic relationship with both the landscape and surrounding urban environment. The composition was conceived to give each building a distinct identity while connecting residents through shared outdoor spaces, transforming the conventional affordable housing model into a more open, communal, and human-scaled neighborhood.