Why is Good Design Important?

	Introduction
	During Development
	During Occupancy

The tot lot in this project has been located to allow direct supervision from surrounding units. Attractive low fences define private front yards for these Chicago townhouses. The sunny courtyard and the landscaping for this Santa Monica, California project creates a small private garden for residents. See Gallery or Design Considerations Checklist for more Examples.

Introduction

During Development

During Occupancy

How good does it have to be? An affordable housing project can be resisted by the community every step of the way, or welcomed. It can be a problem that gets progressively worse, or an asset for its neighborhood for decades. It can be a constant source of discomfort and resentment for everyone who lives in and around it. Or it can provide the people who live there with everything we all expect from our home: comfort, security, an atmosphere to thrive and do our best in.

More than anything else, the difference is design.

Good design provides benefits at all stages of the development process. It is easy to see how a well designed, well built project that fits into its neighborhood will be good for its occupants, its community and its development team. If the end product is good, everyone wins.

What may not be so obvious, but may be even more important, is that attention to design quality can be used to great advantage during the development process and can help ensure that a high quality end product is the result.

This section of the site looks at the value of good design from both these perspectives: its value during development and its value after the project is occupied.