In DRAW’s mission towards achieving/implementing positive impact design, understanding how architecture and the built environment influence human health and wellbeing becomes essential in designing with empathy and activism. The general concept of “design as therapy” considers and integrates several diverse design fields and philosophies, integrating therapeutic architecture, spatial or environmental...
In the previous “Modernizing a KC Classic” post, I covered one of this region’s most iconic single-family housing types – the Kansas City Shirtwaist. While these houses originate and are primarily unique in the Kansas City metro area, they comprise just a single element of the overall Kansas City historic...
Kansas City’s historical neighborhoods make up a large part of the city’s urban fabric and contribute to the city’s image as a whole. However, many historic houses and apartments in these neighborhoods are now 50 to 100 years old. Many are so dilapidated that they have been slowly falling apart...
Under the umbrella of affordable housing, developers have received credit for their projects through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. However, a lack of government oversight allows projects to fall short of true affordability. During the current affordable housing crisis, it is more pertinent than ever that affordable housing projects are...
Tax credits continue to be an untapped source of revenue for many architecture firms. Whether unutilized due to a lack of information or misconceptions, tax credits can significantly benefit firms, particularly in an economic slowdown, by saving tens of thousands of dollars, allowing projects to push forward smoothly. One significant...
