Co-Living Communitas

The issue of housing for lower-income groups is a nationwide concern, with upscale development often hindering efforts to provide affordable housing. Early attempts at large-scale low-income housing developments led to various socioeconomic challenges. As cities have evolved, traditionally poor neighborhoods have been threatened by rapid market-rate development in neighboring areas. New urban growth policies focus on smaller unit types to accommodate changing family demographics and preferences, emphasizing shared economies and integrated work/life spaces. Efforts to achieve high efficiencies within units include innovative configurations of prefabricated micro units.

In urban centers, there is a trend towards reusing existing buildings rather than constructing new ones, driven by incentives for greener building developments and advancements in retrofitting technologies. The proposal for the Liberty Warehouse in Red Hook, New York, involves integrating new construction with existing structures to create diversified living units and community spaces. The project aims to enrich the neighborhood by preserving and adaptively reusing existing buildings, incorporating local businesses, distilleries, and creative studios to create a dynamic micro-neighborhood along the waterfront. Through research and experimentation, students will develop feasible strategies for fabricating and assembling the building, while considering its impact on the community and the neighborhood's history.