Urban planning, architecture, and alternative housing concepts are key ingredients to creating more livable cities. Starting Saturday, you’ll be able to check out some of the latest trends and ideas in affordable housing at the Museum of History and Industry, (MOHAI). The new traveling exhibit from the National Building Museum in Washington D.C., aims to dispel outdated, negative stereotypes of affordable housing projects and demonstrate how, if well-designed, they can be an attractive asset to all communities. It even includes a few local examples to prove its point. The exhibit runs from June 25 – August 28, 2005. Here’s the press release from MOHAI:
Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry will this summer host an exhibition touring the nation which demonstrates that affordable homes can be well designed-and benefit the communities in which they are built and the residents who live there. The exhibition, Affordable Housing: Designing an American Asset, opens Saturday, June 25 and showcases energy-efficient, durable, economical to maintain, and aesthetically appealing homes that are within reach of working Americans. Affordable Housing, an exhibition organized by the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., will be on display at MOHAI through Sunday, August 28.
The need to design and build affordable homes in the United States is urgent. Twenty-five percent of all American households face severe housing challenges, including insufficient funds for monthly rent or mortgage payments, maintenance, and repairs.
“The Fannie Mae Foundation is sponsoring this exhibition to show people that well-designed, affordable homes can be an attractive component of all communities,” said Stacey D. Stewart, president and CEO, Fannie Mae Foundation. “Once Americans realize that affordable homes don’t have to look like the negative stereotypes, they will be more accepting when these homes are developed in their neighborhoods.”
A panel display is used to chronicle the history of affordable housing in America, and to showcase recent, well-designed, affordable homes in 18 developments from urban and rural neighborhoods across the country. The innovative designs of the 18 projects illustrate that America’s architects are devoting their vision to create affordable homes that complement the communities in which they are located. “The projects are a true testament to the fact that housing quality doesn’t have to be sacrificed for affordability,” said Matthew Kuhnert, curatorial associate at the National Building Museum.
“Some people believe that good design is a luxury available only to the most affluent Americans,” said G. Martin Moeller, Jr., senior vice president for special projects at the National Building Museum. “This exhibition dispels this notion by showing that architects are successfully designing housing that it is both affordable and attractive, bringing value to both the homeowners and the surrounding communities.”
The 2000 U.S. Census found that more than 670,000 households in Washington were spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing and therefore, were facing a housing affordability problem. This group includes teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, and other public servants.
In the Puget Sound region and across the state of Washington, as in other parts of the country, high-quality, expertly designed affordable homes are the fruit of groundbreaking partnerships between architects, nonprofit developers, community leaders, local governments, residents, and other stakeholders. Together, these groups are working to create a new vision of affordable homes for America’s families. A few local examples that exemplify that vision include NewHolly in Seattle, and The Village at Overlake Station in Redmond.
Special affordable housing panel discussions will be offered on Thursday, July 7 and Thursday, August 4 (both at 7 pm). Advance registration is not required, and free admission to these First Thursday programs is courtesy of Washington State Housing Finance Commission and Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties. In addition, two special walking tours will take place on Saturday, August 20 (highlighting downtown projects) and Saturday, August 27 (at NewHolly). Both walking tours start at 11 am, and advance registration is required. Walking tour tickets are $15 for MOHAI members, $20 for general public. For more information about these or any other MOHAI programs, please visit www.seattlehistory.org.
The National Building Museum is located in Washington, DC and is America’s premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. The National Building Museum has become a vital forum for exchanging ideas and information about such topical issues as managing suburban growth, preserving landmarks, and revitalizing urban centers. For more information, contact 202-272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org.
The independent, not-for-profit Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) has been located since 1952 at 2700 24th Avenue East in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood, and is easily accessible from the east or west via State Route 520. Free parking is available on-site, and the museum is also accessible via King County METRO Transit. Museum and Gift Shop hours are every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Regular admission prices are: adults, $7; seniors (62+) and youth (5-17), $5; and pre-school (0-4), FREE. First Thursdays of every month are free, and feature extended hours until 8 pm. For more information, please call 206-324-1126 or visit www.seattlehistory.org.
