CITADEL OF LOUVER

Location: Brooklyn, NY U.S.

Area: Four stories

Programs: Housing Works thrift store

Project Date: Spring 2018

Design Strategy :The artifact that inspired my design is an accordion style wood louver door. I focused on the hinges that are used to connect the two panels, which inspired the shelf designs in the retail store. By changing the direction and opening slots of the louvers blades, the louvers are designed to define adjacent relationship between private and public, open or closed space. Housing Works works as a “housing” system, because they pioneered the concept of social enterprise businesses which “house” their community by providing fund raising. The community “house” those who are affected by HIV by providing them physical housing, healthcare, and job training. Their system is used metaphorically in how the retail and education programs are arranged. Housing Works’s thrift shop provides money for their educational programs, the educational programs surround the thrift store from both vertical and horizontal perspectives. The educational programs are connected by floor openings from floor to floor. The rooftop skylight allows daylight to travel through the educational programs and come down to the basement lecture room. The double height lecture room has an open view toward the entry of the thrift shop, in which customers coming into the store will have the opportunity to engage the lecture.