Evaluating Cross-Cultural Courtyard Housing For Social Well-Being In Manhattan, New York, USA | Architecture Thesis On Urban Housing

Site Context

Context: The East Harlem River Houses, located in Manhattan’s East Harlem, serve as the project site. This densely populated neighborhood, with its strong cultural identity, faces challenges such as social isolation, aging infrastructure, and limited public spaces. Traditional U.S. housing designs often discourage interaction among residents, which contrasts with communal living models seen in cultures like Bangladesh. This project seeks to address these issues by exploring courtyard-based housing as a solution to enhance community ties and improve overall well-being.

Program: The proposal introduces several key elements to enhance the living environment:

1- Multi-Level Courtyards: These hierarchical outdoor spaces are designed for social, recreational, and cultural activities.

2- Urban Platform: A multifunctional public zone located beneath existing housing structures, featuring amenities such as a library, art gallery, children’s play areas, retail shops, and food stalls—all intended to activate street life and community engagement.

3- Retrofitting Existing Blocks: The old housing blocks will be retrofitted with layered corridors and balconies, enhancing access to courtyards and creating dynamic, multi-level spaces for interaction.

4- New Housing Block: A newly proposed building will offer diverse housing types and shared facilities such as lounges, fitness areas, and cultural hubs.

Through this integrated design approach, the project reimagines NYCHA housing as a lively, inclusive, and environmentally responsible urban model.

Design Process

The design development focused on creating a master plan that thoughtfully integrates with the existing housing context. The process began by analyzing key site aspects, such as river connectivity, public access, and visibility, with the goal of enhancing, rather than replacing, the existing fabric of the area. Multiple master plan options were explored to address the neighborhood’s challenges while preserving its identity. 

A core strategy was the creation of an elevated urban platform at the first-floor level. This platform serves as the heart of the site, generating multi-layered community spaces that connect residents from the ground to upper floors. It anchors new community facilities, offering a responsive solution to the evolving needs of the neighborhood.

Additionally, two new housing blocks were proposed near the river, with careful consideration of communal living needs. These blocks are designed around multi-layered courtyard spaces that maintain appropriate light, ventilation, and privacy through a solid-void relationship. The design process involved iterative sketching, solid-void diagrams, and 3D modeling in SketchUp. Emphasizing modular cube-based compositions, these explorations refined both the architectural language and spatial strategies, ensuring a vibrant, community-centered residential environment that supports both interaction and privacy.

Final Outcome

The proposed design culminates in a comprehensive transformation of public housing into a vibrant, inclusive, and future-ready urban model. Central to this vision are multi-level courtyards that create well-defined outdoor spaces, encouraging social interaction, recreation, and cultural engagement.

An integrated urban platform enriches daily life through accessible amenities such as libraries, art galleries, fitness areas, and communal kitchens—spaces that collectively support education, wellness, and cross-cultural dialogue. The sustainable retrofitting of existing residential blocks introduces features like extended balconies, green roofs, and co-working areas, significantly enhancing environmental performance, functionality, and residents’ quality of life.

Further strengthening the proposal is the focus on urban connectivity, with improved pedestrian pathways and public access points that seamlessly link the housing complex to the Harlem River waterfront and neighboring communities. Together, these strategies redefine public housing as a dynamic civic asset that prioritizes community, sustainability, and urban integration.

Conclusion: Ultimately, this project envisions a transformative approach to public housing by integrating cross-cultural courtyard principles with sustainable urban design. Through multi-level communal spaces, thoughtful retrofitting, and enhanced connectivity, the proposal fosters a sense of community, improves residents’ well-being, and redefines NYCHA housing as an inclusive, resilient, and future-ready model for urban living.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]