Commissioned as a part of an initiative to shut Washington, D.C.’s getting older and overcrowded inexpensive short-term housing services, The Aya is a brand new seven-story constructing that gives a smooth touchdown for these searching for momentary housing, with entry to service-enriched programming that assists with stabilization and exiting homelessness.
The ability homes 50 households in seven to 10 items per flooring, with neighborhood rooms, non-public rooms, household loos, laundry services, and a federally certified well being middle on the bottom degree.
Sited on considered one of Pierre L’Enfant’s authentic arterial streets, native agency Studio Twenty Seven Structure designed the constructing with 4 uniquely completely different elevations that protect the present tree canopies and permit for max daylighting and views. The glassy north façade incorporates the neighborhood rooms that look out towards the Capitol, the south façade frames the doorway to the well being clinic, the east façade incorporates screened outside play areas, and the stepped west façade creates a entrance garden for every unit.
“The undertaking staff labored exhausting to create an area that mirrored respect, empathy, and hope for its residents whereas reshaping the thought of what inexpensive, momentary housing seems like,” says the award software.
Contained in the LEED Gold–licensed constructing, residents are immersed in vibrant, clear areas with pops of colour. Every flooring encompasses a completely different organizing colour, such because the crimson above, to foster a way of neighborhood and ease of orientation.
“I believe what’s attention-grabbing—and doubtless what all of us gravitated towards—is that this doesn’t categorical itself as inexpensive housing. This isn’t the standard expression of it,” notes one juror throughout the deliberations. “You simply don’t see inexpensive housing seem like this.”
