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Collection by Heather Corcoran

Architecture Projects With a Conscience

Alejandro Aravena's Pritzker Prize win has raised the profile of socially conscious architecture. Revisit five projects that serve the greater good here.

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Knickerbocker Commons is one of two 24-unit buildings that architect Chris Benedict has designed to Passive House standards in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Along with the Mennonite, which was built just a mile and a half away, it is open to disabled and low-income tenants, who will pay $600 to $1,110 per month. Putting foam and stucco on the facade proved an economical way to insulate the structure.
Knickerbocker Commons is one of two 24-unit buildings that architect Chris Benedict has designed to Passive House standards in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Along with the Mennonite, which was built just a mile and a half away, it is open to disabled and low-income tenants, who will pay $600 to $1,110 per month. Putting foam and stucco on the facade proved an economical way to insulate the structure.
“One of the goals of Zenkaya was to create employment in a country crippled by [an unemployment rate of over 25 percent],” explains the architect, who likes to call himself a social entrepreneur.
“One of the goals of Zenkaya was to create employment in a country crippled by [an unemployment rate of over 25 percent],” explains the architect, who likes to call himself a social entrepreneur.
Helmut Jahn’s new building is also known as “the train” because its sleek, aerodynamic styling makes it look like a railcar passing through the neighborhood.
Helmut Jahn’s new building is also known as “the train” because its sleek, aerodynamic styling makes it look like a railcar passing through the neighborhood.
Navy Green Supportive Housing (Architecture in Formation) The bright red structure, called a "billboard building" by the architects, is meant to be a symbol and anchor for the mixed-income Navy Yard development. A cutting-edge home for the chronically homeless, the building's interior and garden—complete with a "rampitheater" for those with mobility issues—has won awards for its user-centric design.
Navy Green Supportive Housing (Architecture in Formation) The bright red structure, called a "billboard building" by the architects, is meant to be a symbol and anchor for the mixed-income Navy Yard development. A cutting-edge home for the chronically homeless, the building's interior and garden—complete with a "rampitheater" for those with mobility issues—has won awards for its user-centric design.