Project by Sumi Kim and Yeon Lee
Housing the In Between looks at how the leftover spaces created by crowded cities can become the foundation for affordable housing in New York City. Set in Manhattan’s East Village, the project starts with a simple observation: the neighborhood’s short buildings, narrow streets, and tightly packed lots naturally create small, odd shaped gaps—alleys, air shafts, and empty spaces—that shape how people live day to day. Instead of seeing these spaces as waste or unusable, the project builds them into the design of the housing itself. A diagonal opening cuts through the ten story building, shaped by where the sunlight hits and stretched vertically to link apartments, shared spaces, and hallways. This opening creates different kinds of spaces on each floor—some more public, some shared, some private. Through this approach, density isn’t about being cramped or closed in. It’s about creating chances for connection, flexibility, and community life within affordable housing.
