Villa Vida!
Homes for Life
Spring 2020 | Santa Fe, New Mexico 
How can we innovate upon the standard affordable housing model and adapt it to the cultural context of Santa Fe?
In this cross-disciplinary planning and design student competition, our team designed Villa Vida to stand as a tribute to the past and a symbol of the future, demonstrating how modern life in the desert can be sustainable, accessible, and affordable. This mixed-use affordable housing development combines the ancient building techniques of Santa Fe’s first residents with cutting edge technologies to provide a model for sustainable living. Villa Vida promises residents comfortable, healthy lifestyles centered around community and the creative economy, using art and active public spaces to bring life and vibrancy to the neighborhood.
Joining me in creating this entry for the 2020 HUD Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design & Planning Competition were Tiffany Dockins (architecture and urban design) and Xandi Barret (social work and social policy). We completed this entry while graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis and were advised by Molly Metzger and Mónica Rivera.
