Gimme Shelter…

On a very basic level, our work as architects is to provide shelter (apologies to the Rolling Stones, whose song is really about war, not housing). Given the ongoing housing shortage in Vermont, we’re proud to be working on several housing projects throughout the state. Multi-family housing aligns with many of our values around the wellbeing of our communities and of our planet. We believe that everyone deserves not only shelter, but dignified, delightful housing that is light-filled and comfortable, energy efficient and non-toxic, and meaningfully connected to the surrounding community. We are fortunate that our development partners – private developers, local housing trusts, and Evernorth among others – share these values and commitment to providing a variety of housing options for Vermonters.

Infill development resonates particularly well with us. Siting buildings on already disturbed sites within a downtown context addresses transportation equity by making it easier for residents to walk, bike, or use public transportation to access school, work, services, and recreation. Reduced (or even eliminated) reliance on cars reduces greenhouse gases and is healthier too! In addition, concentrating development where the land is already built up reduces the need for new infrastructure and preserves open farmland, forest, and other wildlife habitat for everyone to enjoy.

The efficiencies of scale in a multifamily housing project allow us to design all-electric, high-performance buildings that can accommodate on-site renewable energy like solar photovoltaics and, in some cases, geothermal systems for heating, cooling, and hot water. Shared amenities such as workspaces, bike rooms, gyms, community rooms, playgrounds, gardens, and EV charging stations concentrate resources and offer residents a variety of useful spaces and services without added cost.

In a time of division, disconnectedness, and loneliness, multifamily housing options also become built-in, micro-communities within the broader community. Developments with a variety of housing types – studios, multi-bedroom apartments, town homes, and duplexes – increase diversity and ensure that people of different means and circumstances will get to know each other, and maybe even care about each other (see this observation from the Addison Housing Works Maintenance Director about one of our projects, Vergennes Community Apartments). Buildings designed for interconnection will create community. We love that!

Of our current multi-family projects, one is nearly complete (Marble Village Apartments, West Rutland), one is under construction (Alice Holway Drive Housing, Putney), two are in design development (Chalet Housing, Brattleboro; The Middle Apartments, Middlebury); and one is in the planning/conceptual design phase (Hastings Hill, St. Johnsbury). Each of these five projects address different housing needs: market-rate housing for middle-income earners, affordable housing for low- to moderate-income earners, and permanent supportive housing for people exiting homelessness.

The same design principles noted above apply regardless of income-level or other circumstance, though we pay special attention to trauma informed design for supportive housing. Chalet Housing in Brattleboro will be a neighborhood of single-family-owned homes, rental apartments and townhouses, and a portion of the first building dedicated specifically to permanent supportive housing with on-site offices for Groundworks Collaborative, Inc., a social service organization in Brattleboro. Most of the units at Marble Village Apartments and all of the units at Alice Holway Drive Housing are reserved for low- to moderate-income earners, while The Middle Apartments and Hastings Hill are planned as market-rate apartments with multiple bedroom configurations for middle-income earners or roommates.

Our previous projects (Vergennes Community Housing, Bristol Village Cohousing, and Village Center Apartments in Morrisville), provided sixty-four housing units, all fully occupied. The projects mentioned above will potentially add over 200 more. We’re truly proud to be part of creating desirable housing options for everyone.