Defining and Redefining Affordable Housing Design Standards Through a Wellness Lens

Florencia Jouan

Co-Presenters: Daniela León, Joelle Guay

College: Michael Graves College

Major: Architecture (M.Arch.)

Faculty Research Mentor: Camille Sherrod

Abstract:

The student-led project “Defining and Redefining Affordable Housing Design Standards Through a Wellness Lens” addresses critical issues related to housing quality, well-being, and social stigma. It aims to introduce a creative approach to document affordable housing design and provide suggestions to redefine design practices based on evidence-based metrics.Complex funding models and financial pressures often risk compromising wellness goals in affordable housing delivery in the U.S. Due to funding constraints, design proposals often feature cost-efficient design solutions that lead to impoverished environments that contribute to the stigmatization of affordable housing and its communities. Viewing affordable housing projects solely through the lens of economic metrics fails to fully capture the drivers behind good design related to well-being. Our research identifies a crucial gap: the absence of an affordable housing study linking successful design solutions and their impact on well-being. Our study evaluates examples of ‘good design’ by overlaying WELL V2 Building Standards with existing affordable housing projects, reshaping evaluation methods, and advocating for a healthier environment for residents with implications for housing policy. Our comparative analysis highlights 40 non-market housing projects assessing key design elements, including material selection, spatial planning, and visual stimulation. By challenging contemporary design approaches, it argues for a new qualitative metric for evaluating residential projects as a form of community repair, particularly important as cities seek to address the housing crisis. This research sets a new standard for affordable housing, advocating for health and well-being as a core component.