Sheridan Street
2013 / Philadelphia, PA
RIGHT-SIZING DENSITY
What if affordable housing could encourage sustainable living? This 13-unit affordable housing development envisioned a new model for high-performance subsidized housing with the potential to support the long-term environmental, economic and social health of its north Philadelphia neighborhood. A series of rotated and interlocking semi-attached single-families create pockets for green space and car parking, while still maintaining a strong frontage along Sheridan Street. The 1,300 SF family-sized homes each include 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, and one home was designed for full ADA accessibility on the ground floor.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUSTAINABLE LIVING
At completion, this project was the first LEED for Homes Gold-rated publicly-subsidized housing development in the state of Pennsylvania. The project features green roofs, outdoor terraces, native planting and pervious surfaces. Robust insulation and air sealing and fiber cement cladding with recycled content create a tight envelope, and Energy Star appliances, solar hot water panels and low-flow water fixtures reduce impact on natural resources and energy bills.
SYSTEMS THINKING
In the early 1900s, the slim site accommodated over 30 tiny single-family rowhomes, most of which had been demolished by 2005 at the tail end of a period of population decline. The lower parcel at the corner was perfectly suited to housing, but the main section, a long swath measuring 38’ deep and 450’ long, required a puzzle-solving approach. Rotating some of the houses 90 degrees allowed for the required parking and yards while preserving the visual continuity of the street wall. The facade design was systematized through a series of diagrams managing windows, cladding joints, framing and sill heights. Starting from an even matrix, openings were pushed and pulled to meet requirements of program, solar orientation and furnishability, creating a syncopated rhythm.
