ReHABit : claiming endangered structures in Washington DC to rethink subsidized housing

Abstract

There is an affordable housing crisis today in Washington D.C. that is the result of a uniquely complicated history of a capital city and a current economic boom. This thesis responds to that crisis by proposing a new program of subsidized housing that differs from the historically large scale, myopic solutions of the last century by attempting to claim under-used buildings in Washington that have the potential to re-invigorate the city. Endangered structures throughout Washington sit dormant while inherently imbued with power. Rehabilitation of these structures for use as affordable housing allows them to persist without engendering their current limited possibilities. It enables historical discourse and interpretation while allowing possibilities for the disenfranchised to be connected to their legacy in the city. Washington has the unique ability to be a national stage. By looking beyond its own field, the embarrassment of inadequate housing can be turned into a powerful model of urban creativity and holistic city vision.