A new design for a shelter for unhoused men is helping housing experts RKTB Architects to spread an urgent national message of rising to meet the current U.S. need for 6 million residential units.
Partnering with government agencies and both for-profit and nonprofit developers to address the full continuum of housing solutions as the firm has done for decades – completing hundreds of projects for thousands of diverse people of varied backgrounds, budgets and aspirations – the firm is pushing the limits of innovation in design and development, and breaking barriers.
RKTB’s latest begins construction this fall in the North Riverdale section of The Bronx, N.Y., across the street from Van Cortland Park: a new men’s shelter funded by New York City’s Department of Homeless Services. (DHS) Notably the design addresses the qualms and concerns of neighbors with a contextual aesthetic that presents outwardly as though just another apartment building, and an interior program structured to foster cohesion and support effective transitions to permanent housing.
“The shortages are everywhere across the housing spectrum, so building new shelters and navigation centers for the unhoused has to be part of the national strategy,” says managing principal Peter Bafitis, AIA. “Many neighborhoods put up resistance to shelters, but as architects we have the tools to help developers address their concerns and win acceptance.”
Court Square Real Estate Partners contracted with DHS to develop the corner site at 6661 Broadway as a men’s shelter, and partnered with Westhab – known for their commitment to supportive housing environments and provision of quality services for residents – to both co-develop and operate the shelter. The client group then tapped RKTB to design the residence, based on their unparalleled track record of housing innovation in the New York Metro Region and beyond and specifically for their work in affordable housing as well as directly for DHS shelter properties.
“For the residents there have to be on-site services, but more importantly it has to be a place that can instill a sense of dignity,” says Bafitis. “We want those being sheltered and everyone in the neighborhood to take pride in the place itself and in being a community in harmony.”
Scaled to correspond in size and massing to the neighborhood – the result of studies RKTB performed in the earliest project phases – the six-story, 36,000-square-foot building draws inspiration from the architectural context, which is primarily brick apartments. Echoing contemporary market-rate residential developments, the brick veneer is combined with elements to add visual interest like corner glass bay windows, large window openings, and decorative metal paneling.
Strategic design elements
RKTB associate principal Nelson Vega, Assoc. AIA, points out that some of the glazing is comprised of channel glass, an unusual specification for a utilitarian building like a shelter. “The choice was very practical: channel glass allows light into the interior while concealing activity inside from passersby on the street,” says Vega.
Inside, RKTB has worked to ensure a harmonious environment with a program notable for addressing some typical shelter pitfalls. For example, the 130 beds are divided into rooms with just three to five beds each, with a lounge area on each floor. This decentralization of the population is expected to reduce occasions for discord among residents. The dining room on the first floor is also split into two parts, allowing the Westhab team to coordinate meal services in staggered shifts.
Says Vega, “Our goal was to make the shelter feel and function like a smaller facility. It’s an approach that is better for residents and more secure for everyone.”
Additionally, to address the shortage of usable outdoor space on the lot, RKTB incorporated a roof terrace as an amenity for residents. The design also encompasses supportive services, a multipurpose room, laundry, and a commercial kitchen primarily for supporting catered meals, as well as offices and breakrooms for roughly 15 to 20 on-site staff.
According to Bafitis, the design is setting a new bar for shelter design and pointing a way forward for similar projects mired in neighborhood resistance. “Irrespective of its use as a shelter, this is a good building and a vital addition to the fabric of North Riverdale. We’re proud of the design, not just as architecture but as a symbol of our continuing commitment to the unhoused and underserved of New York, which has been part of our firm’s mission since its founding.”
About RKTB
RKTB Architects, P.C. is an award-winning planning, architecture and design firm with studios producing a diverse portfolio of solutions for housing, educational, cultural, civic and healthcare clients. RKTB’s services range from strategy and planning to new construction and renovations and adaptive reuse, contributing to award-winning multifamily housing and K-12 school designs. With over 55 years of experience shaping the fabric of communities for both public and private clients, RKTB Architects is powerfully committed to the twin goals of design excellence and social equity.
For more information, please visit www.rktb.com.
Feature Image Courtesy of: RKTB Architects
The 2024 virtual Men’s Round Table will be held Q4, 2024, date TBD.
