row house case study

The Rise and Resurgence of the Great American Row House

There is a strange magic to the neighborhood of Spring Garden in Philadelphia. Walking eastward on Fairmount Avenue, you might encounter groups of Greek men smoking cigarettes and drinking frappé, contemporary coffee shops packed with students and remote workers, and a succession of Mexican, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Italian restaurants. Take a turn and you might pass a Puerto Rican bodega as well as the last parishioners emerging from the Lithuanian church on Wallace Street. At the community gardens, a queer rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream  is performed before an audience of neighbors seated on lawn chairs. 

Yet, despite the many kinds of people and cultures to be found in Spring Garden, there is one unifying element that cuts across every street: endless row houses standing shoulder to shoulder, from corner to corner in each block.

A gateway into the Spring Garden neighborhood in Philadelphia, where row houses face the wall of the Eastern State Penitentiary.

In Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., row houses are an iconic part of neighborhood identity—but examples can be found as far west as Saint Louis and San Francisco. They are generally defined by their two to four-story height and compact and contiguous construction, where units often share party walls and narrow, mid-block alleyway access. Their architectural styles can range from Federal to Georgian and Gothic to Victorian, and their appeal has befitted a full range of urban social classes throughout history within relatively similar physical boundaries.

Today, pre-war row houses, also called town houses, give parts of East Coast cities a European scale and density that is rare in the rest of the United States. But the American row house, as opposed to the more universal type inherited from the old world, represents the unique demographic history of this country. 

During the industrial revolution, row houses met the housing needs of a growing immigrant population, as well as that of an enterprising middle class looking for direct access to the commercial life of cities. With their replicable forms and "kit-of-parts" designs, many row houses were built as massive speculative developments, and foreshadowed the efficient prefab architecture of today. 

A row of renovated and repurposed row houses in Pittsburgh.

In the Bronx, row-house neighborhoods are among the few that survived the devastating arsons and demolitions that consumed the borough in the 1970s and ’80s. Some of these, such as the Mott Haven Historic District, even saw real-estate booms as surrounding neighborhoods burned to rubble. "This is the only way for the middle class to survive in the city," a  row house buyer in the neighborhood is quoted as saying in a 1978 New York Times article . Nearly 100 years before, the neighborhood had been described as having the most "healthful, cheerful, economical and easily accessible homes that have ever been known."

In our time, these homes can provide an efficient, accessible, and egalitarian form of housing—one which satisfies a much needed "missing middle" category of mid-density urban residential architecture. There’s a case to be made that the tight-knit diversity of neighborhoods like Spring Garden is indebted to the compact form and adaptability of these row houses—but it’s enough to acknowledge the great variety of people who have made homes out of these old buildings.

For young families in cities where row houses are common, buying and renovating old units has become a popular alternative to the ritual suburban escape from the city. For architects and developers today, the row house is a model for dense and economical housing that deserves more attention and study as a typology. 

As an homage to the row house, here are 10 great renovations and new builds that breathe new life to this uniquely American housing phenomenon.

Renovations

Today, row houses in major urban centers are often subdivided into apartment units to meet market demand, but some lucky homeowners are privy to a unique perk of living in a private row house: owning such a discrete unit of the city can inspire a sense of responsibility and stewardship of history. 

Rehabilitating these old and often dilapidated homes can be a challenge, but one which can uncover new opportunities for modern households, and solutions to the setbacks of old designs.

A Resuscitated Row House in Philadelphia

Wooden paneling framing the windows complements the home’s custom-built front door.

There are central points for expression available in the renovation of a row house, where simple changes can make a big difference. In this renovation in Philadelphia, the white-painted brick exterior and custom wood paneling of the windows and doors distinguish the row house from its neighbors.  

In historic districts where row houses are prevalent, it’s both the uniformity of homes and the stark variations between them that build a harmonious and individually expressive atmosphere.

Featuring exposed beams, the kitchen has custom white-oak cabinetry built by Philadelphia Woodworking Co. An oversize picture window overlooks the backyard garden.

A Dark 1880s Row Home in Lancaster Gets an Airy Makeover

The team removed walls to create an airy, open-plan layout. Here, the dining room enjoys access to natural light from both the front and back sides of the house.

Because of the narrow and attached nature of row houses, natural lighting can often be limited to front and rear rooms. To solve this problem, the architects behind this austere renovation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, removed several walls to create a continuous flow of light from the street to the small patio in the back. As in the previous home, some of the ceiling beams are exposed to give the house a more spacious feel. 

To give the interior a more open and spacious feel, the team exposed the ceiling beams. 

A Brooklyn Row House Renovation Plays With Light and Dark

Architect Allison Reeves was renovating a townhome in Red Hook when she discovered that the existing redbrick facade was falling apart. With contractor John Fasano, she put in a new exterior of dark bricks, punctuated by a slanted pane of glass by Bieber Windows. A new roof supports a deck as well as the home's mechanicals, which the residents opted to move out of harm's way after Hurricane Sandy flooded other homes in the area.

In this row house, a large angled box window replaced two third-story windows in order to flood the interior with light—but this was not the only surprising intervention. Inside, the architect installed the weighty wooden beams of an abandoned barn, and an open staircase, in order to raise the ceiling of the front of the house by 12 feet.

The original crumbling bricks of the façade were replaced with a new exterior of black bricks, but traditional star bolts—a common feature in row house renovations which reinforce exterior walls by connecting them to floor and ceiling joists — keep the home sturdy and the renovation vernacular. 

The residents furnished the interior themselves, even hand-picking the exposed reclaimed beams from a barn in Pennsylvania. The dining table and shelving unit are 1970s vintage and the sofa is from Design Within Reach. The height of the top level varies from around nine to 12 feet. 

The Southern Modernism of an Old Row House in Charleston

The exterior of the 1853 row houses.

Located in Charleston’s picturesque Bee’s Row, this tall and stately row house was built in 1853 in the Italianate style and has been home to many colorful figures in its past. Its current owners honor this history by integrating contemporary decor with local artistic heritage, a look they dub "Southern Modernism." 

This room houses a Lawson Fenning Moreno sofa and lounge chairs, an antique mosaic-horn coffee table, and Workstead Signal globe and sconce lights.

A Green Roof Oasis in Boston

The backyard sports a sequence of raised flower and vegetable beds and two green roofs—one atop the workshop and other atop the back entrance.

Renovated by an architect and carpenter, this Boston row house is not only modern on the inside, but sustainable on the outside—with two green roofs and a greenhouse to grow shrubs, vegetables, and seasonal flowers. 

Inside, the stairs were moved against the party wall, where the lower stair reaches out to form the arm of a custom lounge. 

In the living room, the stair’s lower step reaches out to form an arm, while the ascending stairs create a natural incline for cushions.

New Builds and Additions

Row house developments around the country have faced many challenges throughout history, including mass abandonment over the course of the last century due to urban flight. This has opened the doors for demolitions that often allow invasive and poorly-built developments to rise in their ruins. 

However, some new designs and additions are paving a path forward for the row house typology. These examples extend and sometimes go far beyond the technical definition of row houses, but they demonstrate tasteful and original designs that work in concert with their historic neighbors. 

Carriage House Addition in Brooklyn

On a tree-lined street in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, a former carriage house from the 1930s is now a colorful modern home that boasts bright orange shipping containers.

While not technically row houses, carriage houses are complementary to the same neighborhoods where they stand, often backing up against narrow alleyways from which carriages would once emerge onto streets. 

An addition made of stacked shipping containers evokes the industrial past of the neighborhood in this renovation of a 1930s carriage house in Brooklyn—with a modern, bright orange twist. 

The architecture is now organized around a polychromatic core volume that extends from the ground floor to the roof terrace. 

Green Urban Housing in Philadelphia

The HardiePanel siding on the adjacent 100K and 120K houses is a dramatic break from East Kensington’s mostly brick facades. The simple, well insulated box and the absence of a third floor keep each house affordable, sustainable, and within the reach of young families.

Cheap metal cladding is often to blame for the lack of cohesiveness in contemporary row houses, usually making for discordant additions to historic districts. But a brave application of color variation works well in this project by Interface Studio Architects in Philadelphia. 

The playful design fits within Kensington, a neighborhood where long-lasting urban decay has given way to experimentation rather than preservation. More impressively, the home was built within a tight budget of approximately $200,000 and achieved LEED Platinum certification, as well as a 2010 Homes Project of the Year award from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Concrete floors and an Ikea kitchen and spice rack make for an affordable, cleanly geometric aesthetic at the back of the bottom floor. The appliances are by Frigidaire, and the black countertops are sealed with Eco Tuff by Eco Procote.

York Street House in Jersey City

When new row houses are built in historic districts with strict design guidelines, the resulting projects can also end up looking unnatural or out of place besides the weathered and elaborate façades of neighboring homes. 

This row house design manages to fit within the context of its old neighborhood through sleek, classically symmetrical, and rectilinear forms. The design embraces the proportions of both modern and traditional architecture, which allows it to be evaluated for its own merits. 

A Monolithic Brooklyn Home

Sited on a typical 25-by-100-foot corner lot in Brooklyn, this 5,000-square-foot residence was built with 21 stacked shipping containers cut diagonally along the top and bottom to create a step-like structure with four tiered levels and a small pool between the two lower levels.

A more exaggerated deployment of shipping containers in Brooklyn, this home is a radical departure from the borough’s traditional row houses: it is spacious, tall, and modern. 

Nonetheless, it could be seen as an evolution of the row house in the way in which it modulates its relationship with the street. A setback in the front and cascading terraces in the back create private spaces that float above the street-level, while the interior is well-lit by a mix of wide windows upfront and thin strips of glazing on the corner wall. 

The diagonal cut of the containers maximizes the built-in floor area and hides the rear terraces from the curious eyes of pedestrians passing by—both valuable elements considering its corner location. 

Affordable Housing Development in Houston

The series of pitched white buildings was inspired by the work of architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen. "The shell of the house is a very simple form," says Matthew Ford, "no turns or intersecting roof sections. This allowed me to use solid but inexpensive framing and roofing crews. We are always looking for the point where simplicity and luxury meet."

This series of affordable homes in Houston works with the same economies of scale that made industrial-age row houses affordable places to live. They also offer homeowners space and privacy with large windows and open floor plans, while accommodating the density needed to create more sustainable and livable cities.

To find the future of the row house, we will have to extend its definition while keeping to the same principles that make it work—because through customizability, replicability, density and privacy, the row house balances the communal and individualistic realities of city life like no other form of housing. 

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The Essence of Row Houses: Understanding Residential Design

The Essence of Row Houses – Thesis topics related to Residential Design

Row houses stand as a hallmark of residential architecture, embodying a unique blend of history, functionality, and community. These compact, connected dwellings have a rich heritage and continue to shape urban landscapes worldwide.

History and Evolution

Tracing the origins.

The concept of row houses dates back centuries, with roots in ancient civilizations like Rome and Greece. The style evolved through various periods, gaining prominence during the Industrial Revolution, when urban populations surged.

Architectural Features

Design elements and structure.

Row houses typically share walls and feature uniform facades, creating a cohesive streetscape. They often exhibit architectural symmetry, with consistent window placements, rooflines, and materials, presenting a visually harmonious ensemble.

Utilization of Space

Maximizing efficiency.

Their linear layout optimizes space, making them efficient and suitable for urban living. Each house, though connected, retains its individuality while contributing to the collective aesthetic of the row.

Community and Connectivity

Fostering neighborhood bonds.

Row houses encourage community interaction, promoting a sense of belonging among residents. Shared walls and close proximity create a communal atmosphere, strengthening social connections.

Variations Across Cultures

Diverse designs globally.

Row houses vary in style and construction across regions. From the Georgian terraces in London to the brownstones in New York City, each locale has its unique interpretation of this architectural form.

Modern Adaptations and Innovations

Contemporary approaches.

Modern architects have reimagined row houses, incorporating sustainable features, flexible layouts, and technological advancements without compromising the essence of this architectural typology.

Challenges and Solutions

Preserving heritage amid urbanization.

The preservation of historic row houses amidst urban development remains a challenge. Adaptive reuse, restoration, and stringent conservation policies are vital in safeguarding these architectural treasures.

Case Studies and Noteworthy Examples

Celebrating iconic row house communities.

Exploring renowned neighborhoods like Philadelphia’s Society Hill or Amsterdam’s canal-side row houses exemplifies the enduring appeal and adaptability of this architectural style.

Future Trends and Prospects

Sustaining relevance in modern cities.

As cities evolve, row houses continue to be sought-after for their charm, efficiency, and contribution to community living. Innovative designs blending tradition with modernity will likely shape their future.

Conclusion: The Timeless Appeal of Row Houses

Embracing tradition, embracing community.

Row houses, with their historical significance and adaptability, epitomize the balance between heritage and contemporary living. They stand as a testament to the enduring charm and functionality of residential design.

Rethinking The Future (RTF) is a Global Platform for Architecture and Design. RTF through more than 100 countries around the world provides an interactive platform of highest standard acknowledging the projects among creative and influential industry professionals.

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Houston, Texas: Project Row Houses Uses Art To Preserve Architecture, Culture, and Community in a Low-Income Neighborhood

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Home > Case Studies > Houston, Texas: Project Row Houses Uses Art To Preserve Architecture, Culture, and Community in a Low-Income Neighborhood

The culture and history of Houston’s Third Ward reflects the neighborhood’s strong African-American presence, which dates back to the early 19th century. Initially split evenly between whites and African-Americans, the Third Ward became a predominantly middle-class African-American community in the 1930s but was beset by disinvestment as the cocaine epidemic ravaged the community in the 1980s. In 1993, 7 African-American artists and neighbors in the northern Third Ward saved 22 shotgun-style row houses from demolition, hoping to use the houses as a catalyst for social transformation. Inspired by the work of John Biggers, whose paintings portrayed the shotgun row house as a community asset and art form, and Joseph Beuys, a German artist who extended the role of art as an expression of social themes, the Third Ward artists founded Project Row Houses (PRH), a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve the history, culture, and traditional buildings of the northern Third Ward through art and affordable rental housing. For the past 28 years, PRH has partnered with local organizations to extend its housing preservation goals to community development .

The Shotgun Row House as the Affordable Housing Vessel

The basic ingredient of PRH’s revitalization efforts is the shotgun house. A small house with a floorplan that offers an unobstructed view from the front door through the back door, the shotgun house was imported from West Africa via the slave trade and adopted by working-class African-Americans, who built these houses in the Third Ward. PRH created a satellite organization, PRH Preservation, to preserve and manage the original structures reserved for artists and manage PRH’s Young Mothers Residential Program, which offers affordable housing, case management, and childcare for mothers and their children .

In addition, PRH has collaborated with Rice University’s Rice Building Workshop to develop prototypes of low-cost shotgun-style housing. The single-family units include the XS House, a 500-square-foot building budgeted at $25,000, and the ZeRow House, a prototype for sustainable affordable housing that uses solar panels to generate all the energy needed during the day. The Modpod, previously referred to as Inhouse Outhouse, is a pre-existing PRH shotgun house retrofitted with a module containing a prefabricated kitchen, office, bathroom, and mechanical systems to serve the entire house .

In 2003, PRH formed the Row House Community Development Corporation (RHCDC) to build affordable housing and create public spaces and facilities that preserve the history of the northern Third Ward. Rice Building Workshop designed the duplexes, which were constructed in four phases between 2004 and 2013. The 2-story duplexes, with stacked apartments, provide 54 units for households typically earning between 30 and 70 percent of the area median income. Residents are expected to be active community members by committing to 22 hours of community service annually, attending residents council activities, and participating in public art projects .

PRH Supports Culture and Creativity

PRH conducts several programs to foster a culturally and creatively rich environment that benefits both residents of the affordable houses and artists in the community. PRH celebrates the neighborhood’s African-American art and culture through the Public Art Program, which sponsors artists to engage with northern Third Ward residents through art installations and performances in PRH houses and public spaces. Twice a year, PRH invites local and national artists to exhibit their work in a gallery occupying seven houses. The exhibits typically highlight a social issue within the African-American community, such as last year’s theme of black maternal mortality .

The Strategic Art Plan draws on artists’ talents to enhance the well-being of PRH residents. " Beautiful, Still " by Colby Deal is a photographic series showcasing the positive psychological and physical environment of the Third Ward, imagery that is often lost in mainstream depictions of low-income African-American neighborhoods. The photographs, located throughout the neighborhood, include a mural in the Eldorado Ballroom, a Third Ward landmark originally owned by an African-American businesswoman. Before the pandemic, the Strategic Art Plan also organized “Third Ward Fresh | One Seed, One Block,” several public events to address health food scarcity with the help of musicians and painters. Third Ward Fresh offered residents cooking lessons, and One Seed, One Block distributed vegetable seeds and art supplies to decorate pots, while attendees enjoyed live entertainment by local Zydeco bands .

Anchor Partnerships Guide Neighborhood Development

Understanding that revitalizing the northern Third Ward requires more than housing improvements, PRH partnered with other Houston anchor institutions to rejuvenate Emancipation Avenue, a once-vibrant economic cluster of African-American businesses and patrons. In 2015, PRH spearheaded the Emancipation Economic Development Council (EEDC), a partnership of businesses, organizations, and residents of the northern Third Ward with the goal of ensuring equitable development of the corridor. EEDC provides resources to business owners such as façade improvement and small business training. The council is also affiliated with PRH’s Financial Opportunity Center, which offers finance, career coaching, and entrepreneurship classes to residents .

PRH has acquired seven parcels on one block of Emancipation Avenue, a street that leads to Emancipation Park, which was purchased by freed slaves in 1872 and has been the traditional site of Juneteenth celebrations in the city. One of the lots is being used as a community garden, and another lot is occupied by the Eldorado Building, whose historic ballroom is available for special events. To determine potential uses for the other five lots, PRH has investigated how residents perceive changes in the built environment. RHCDC’s neighborhood development project manager, Libby Viera-Bland, explored this theme using her background in urban planning, community mapping exercises, and oral history and learned that some residents perceive new construction in the neighborhood as a sign that they will be displaced. RHCDC has responded to residents’ concerns and is planning for a mixed-use building on Emancipation Avenue with residences above ground-floor retail space that could potentially house a grocery store .

City of Houston. 2021. " Super Neighborhoods: Super Neighborhood 67 — Greater Third Ward. ” Accessed 3 May 2021; University of Houston. n.d. “ Third Ward Initiative .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Interview with Libby Viera-Bland, neighborhood development project manager for Row House Community Development Corporation, 12 May 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Mission + History .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Project Row Houses. 2020. “ 2019 Financial Audit .” Accessed 9 June 2021; Emancipation Economic Development Council. n.d. “ Emancipation Economic Development Council .” Accessed 9 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ PRH Preservation, Inc .” Accessed 5 May 2021; Row House Community Development Corporation. n.d. “ About Row House CDC .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Project Row Houses. 2019. “ PRH Annual Report .” Accessed 3 May 2021.

Project Row Houses. 2019. “ PRH Annual Report .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ PRH Preservation, Inc .” Accessed 5 May 2021; Interview with Libby Viera-Bland, neighborhood development project manager for Row House Community Development Corporation, 12 May 2021.

Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Architecture .” Accessed 4 May 2021; Rice University, School of Architecture. n.d. “ Construct ZeRow House .” Accessed 17 May 2021; Andrew Daley, Jason Fleming, and Peter Muessig. n.d. “ InHouse-OutHouse Business Plan .” Accessed 16 June 2021.

Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Row House CDC .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Project Row Houses. 2019. “ PRH Annual Report .” Accessed 3 May 2021; Rice University, School of Architecture. 2019. “ Construct Duplexes .” Accessed 2 May 2021. Midtown Houston. 2018. “ Midtown Affordable Housing Plan .” Accessed 10 June 2021; Correspondence from Libby Viera-Bland, neighborhood development project manager for Row House Community Development Corporation, 10 June 2021; Row House Community Development Corporation. 2008. " Row House Community Development Corporation Resident Selection and Screening Plan ." Accessed 8 June 2021; Row House Community Development Corporation. n.d. “ RHCDC Properties .” Accessed 3 May 2021.

Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Public Art .” Accessed 7 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Past Artist Rounds .” Accessed 18 May 2021.

Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Strategic Art Plan .” Accessed 1 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ Calendar: Juneteenth Celebration, June 19, 2018 .” Accessed 4 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ About the Historic Eldorado Ballroom .” Accessed 7 June 2021. Project Row Houses. n.d. " Third Ward Fresh | One Seed, One Block .” Accessed 7 June 2021.

Interview with Libby Viera-Bland, neighborhood development project manager for Row House Community Development Corporation, 12 May 2021; Emancipation Economic Development Council. n.d. “ Emancipation Economic Development Council .” Accessed 9 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ EEDC .” Accessed 16 May 2021; Emancipation Economic Development Council. n.d. “ Emancipation Avenue Main Street .” Accessed 9 June 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ The Financial Opportunity Center .” Accessed 9 June 2021.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Community Innovators Lab. 2016. “ Emancipation Park Neighborhood: Strategies for Community-Led Regeneration in the Third Ward .” Accessed 10 June 2021; City of Houston. n.d. “ Super Neighborhood 67 — Greater Third Ward .” Accessed 9 June 2021; Interview with Libby Viera-Bland, 12 May 2021; Project Row Houses. n.d. “ KGMCA-PRH Fellowship .” Accessed 16 May 2021; Midtown Houston. 2018. “ Midtown Affordable Housing Plan .” Accessed 10 June 2021.

The contents of this article are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Government.

ROW HOUSES (TOWNSHIP), SONIPAT

The Row House takes cues from contemporary approach in residential architecture to create a home that is livable, plain and simple. No unnecessary frills or decoration or wasted space. Every square inch of home has a function, a purpose, in daily living. We try to accomplish an easy floor plan, open and generous without being over-sized and a classical elevation fitting for it’s surroundings in color, material and scale. The formal solution is an aesthetic searched the surrounding environment and the implementation of planning regulations governing the building.The approach adopted aims to respond to the needs of the developer in terms of distribution, placements and surfaces. The house is constructed with different rectangular patterns & straight lines.

Location - Sonipat, Haryana Site Area - 242 Sq. M. Scope - Residence Design

A Modern Take On the Historical Row House

in the heart of DC's Dupont Circle

This modern and refined home boasts extraordinary interior finishes, an impeccably executed backyard space, and a custom rooftop oasis.

Project Type: renovation

Distinguishing Fact: historical brownstone row house with a sleek twist

Materials: custom black walnut doors, cabinets and paneling, custom plaster including gold leaf finishing in the master bath, large steel skylights in the stairwell and dining room, stainless steel rooftop pools and unique tile and stone

Located in the heart of Dupont Circle in northwest Washington, DC, this historical brownstone was originally constructed in 1892. The homeowner began the transformation by painstakingly restoring the exterior brick to its original color. Recognizing the potential to create a more modern and refined home, the owner partnered with a leading area architect and ILEX to renovate the four story row house. The home now includes a basement apartment as well as a new rooftop pool area, which adds an additional level of enjoyment.

In the foyer, a 9-foot-tall walnut custom pivot door opens onto an intricate and masterfully placed and installed tile floor and custom plaster finished walls.

Luxurious details can be found throughout the home. The first floor living room was designed to feel continuous with the adjacent outdoor patio space, while at the same time retaining an inviting and warm quality. The floor to ceiling glass wall allows light to gently fill the room. A brick fireplace in the center of the glass as well as the adjoining stone walls lend character, texture and interest to the space.

In the master bath, a dramatic ceiling dome over the bathtub is plastered with a gold leaf finish which takes on an iridescent quality when the crystal pendant lamp within its center is lit.

The backyard oasis masterfully uses every square inch of space for both recreational and functional use. The area includes a custom stainless steel plunge pool and spa combination with a stone surround and water fountains, a fire pit, and a custom dog wash area. A hydraulic car lift allows two cars to be parked in the space—one above grade and one below—without impeding the recreational use of the space.

Rustic Country Guest House

incorporates elements reminiscent of the main house

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Passive Rowhouse SMETVANDERVEKEN / denc!-studio

• Curated by Paula Pintos
• Architects: denc!-studio
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  234 m²
• Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2015
• Photographs Photographs: Luc Roymans
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Ceyssens , Daikin , Dantherm , Eternit
• Lead Architects: Bart Cobbaert, Delphine Deceuninck

Text description provided by the architects. Initially, the clients Ken & Wendy didn’t have any plans to build a new house. But when Wendy and her brother each inherited a construction site, Wendy and her husband changed their minds. Both working, Wendy and Ken wished to come home to an open and spacious architecture, filled with loads of natural daylight where human interactions are set central.

The living functions are organized on the first two floors: the kitchen and the dining room on the ground floor, the living room and study on the second floor. A large void connects these functions.  A spanned mesh - generally used as fall protection in the construction industry - gives an additional function to this void. It’s a great place to read a book, hang out or play. The kids just love it!

An old picture of African fishermen received a very suiting place above this meshed void. The same mesh is also used along the staircase as the parapet. The use of mesh helps in creating a spacious and light entity through all living functions.

The open-plan concept enables future changes in the internal organization. The storeroom, stairs, and bathroom are designed as compact as possible, resulting in a wider and more spacious living area. Positioned as such, the full width and depth of the house can be experienced on both floors. It became clear that the brother of Wendy, wouldn’t immediately build on the adjacent plot. This had both advantages and disadvantages.

In this case, the partition wall of this passive house would be exposed to the weather for years. As a result, this wall had to be insulated considerably and covered with façade cladding. The otherwise provisional façade next to the adjacent plot is now considered and conceived as a full-fledged façade finished the same way as the front- and back façade and thus making the house a monolith opposed to a row-house. In order to give the house a warm touch and playful nature, the passive window jambs are finished in wood.

The architect hopes for a second life for the slates once the brother starts constructing his own house on the adjacent lot. Awaiting this construction, the parcel is used as an extra play-garden for the children. The left-overs of the excavated soil is used to create playful slopes and hills in the garden.

The front façade got some multipurpose fencing. It functions as a separation from the public area and doubles as a parapet for the balcony on the second floor. Behind this well thought fencing lies a bike shed as well as the main access to the front door. From the front door an overview on the ground floor, reaching till the backyard, is made possible.

Inside the house, the interior is characterized by a variety of rough and warm materials. The structure is pretty straightforward: visible concrete slabs span from wall to wall and a timber frame structure is wrapped around it as an insulating skin. The interior finishing of this timber structure is made in affordable plywood and doesn’t need expensive and time-consuming paint jobs. The result is an interesting mix of “standard”, “built-in” and “vintage” furniture.

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• Architecture

Row House Architecture: The Origins and Variety of This Style

A row house is a common architectural style in large historic cities worldwide. While it has origins as low-budget housing, row houses have a unique style beloved by many home buyers.

Row homes are desirable in cities with charming historic districts like New York and Boston, where they are most plentiful.

What is a Row House?

The term row house is literal – a row of connected houses. These dwellings share sidewalls and a roofline with neighboring homes. They can be single or multi-family units.

Other terms for row house include terraced house, row home, and rowhouse.

Some value the historic character and bustling neighborhood where you find typical row homes.

Consider these important pros and cons before investing in a row house.

• Cost – Row houses are cost-effective and offer some of the same amenities as single-family homes.
• Maintenance – Row homes are easier to maintain than single-family homes because the yards are smaller and owners share some of the maintenance costs with each other.
• Privacy – Rowhomes offer more opportunities for privacy than other types of shared housing, like apartments. These include private yard spaces and unshared floors and ceilings.
• Sustainability – Row homes are more sustainable than single-family homes because the same number of people can occupy less ground space.
• Community – Row homes are an important part of many communities. They form a stabilizing influence to help ensure the future success of the community.
• Narrow Layout – The narrow layout can be challenging for a large family to navigate.
• Privacy – Row homes offer less privacy than stand-alone homes.
• Parking – Row homes have limited parking, a challenge for families with driving children or where row homes have been converted to multi-living spaces.
• HOA Fees – The HOA fees for row home communities can be pricey. These include shared expenses for yard and exterior maintenance.

Origins of Row Houses

Row housing originated in Belgium and the Netherlands in the 16th century. They came to London and Paris in the 17th century.

In the 1700s, the row house made its way to Philadelphia. After that, row homes began appearing in the U.S. in New York, Boston, and Baltimore. The design allowed architects to fit many homes into small spaces.

Architects designed row houses to provide low-cost housing to the burgeoning middle-class working family – a step up from railroad apartments. As a result, these row house districts developed a unique character and history in each city.

Row houses also appealed to the upper middle class in a way that smaller apartments did not. Row houses, and their fancier cousin, the townhouse, were a way that wealthier people could enjoy a home in the city and more rural districts. Row houses in affluent neighborhoods enjoyed more decorative design styles.

Row House Architecture

Here are five key features of row house architecture:

• Height – Most row houses are between 2-5 stories high.
• Uniform Style – Row homes share similar external architectural characteristics like window type and moldings. Modern homeowners may differentiate their homes with unique paint and design elements.
• Individual Entrance – Row homes each have their own entrance , unlike apartment buildings. Subdivided row homes that investors have converted into apartments share the same entrance.
• Connection – Row homes are connected to the others using the same side walls and sharing the same roofline.
• Windows – Row homes do not have side windows – only front and rear windows .

Row House Styles

Here are five of the most popular row house styles you will encounter.

• Italianate – Row homes that are two-four stories high, many with brownstone facades. These have bold projecting forms like cornices and repetitive forms.
• Federal – Modest and simple style homes with brick facades, metal or slate roofs, wrought iron handrails, and wood paneled doors.
• Greek Revival – Simple lines with bold architectural features that mimic ancient Greek motifs, prominent columns, and grand entrances.
• Victorian – Row homes with a high-pitched roof, gable trim, bright painted colors, and colorful stained glass.
• Georgian – Brick row homes with large windows and an entrance at the street level.

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Rethinking Affordable Row House Design for Multi- generational Lower Middle-income Family in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand

2019, 2019 conference on Design Principles & Practices

The phenomenon of urbanization has put Bangkokians to live in relatively limited living spaces. Middle-income nuclear families generally choose to live individually in either small condominium units in the city centre or small semi-detached houses in suburban areas with relatively no care for their neighbours. Lower middle-income families, on the other hand, tend to live in Bangkok periphery with their relatives if possible, sharing limited resources for basic living such as food, houses and finances. This research studies typical suburban Bangkok's row house design housing lower middle-income families and aims to investigate how these families modify living spaces for supporting their living culture and lifestyles. By employing interviews, observations and physical & behavioural mappings, this research has found that lower middle-income families optimize uses of their row houses for two main reasons. First, they maximize uses of interior and exterior spaces to house extended family members as the way in which multi generations take good and close care for each other. This reflects a return of a traditional Thai reciprocal living culture that elderly helps raising grandchildren while working ages work and take care of the elderly in return. Second, income-generating activities can be held at home with minimal labour costs due to the fact that each family members have to contribute some ways to house owners. With respect to minimal building cost shown in a small land plot size and limited habitable space, this research suggests an alternative row house design to better serve varying and incremental needs of multi-generational lower middle-income families in Thai social context. Moreover, the suggested row house design could be replicated to serve urban populations in other developing countries in Asian mega cities.

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Is it too small? ‘It’ is a one-bedroom private apartment with a floor area of 20 square metres, an ideal for the new way of living in the Bangkok metropolis. As advertised, developers invite their buyers to look into the advantages of low-cost, convenient locations, domestic conveniences and less domestic labours. Bangkok city dwellers become convinced of the shifts toward more convenient domesticity and dream of their (frugal) apartments. The paper ex-amines the interior economy of the family living in such a small apartment and the ways in which it alters the family relationships and homelife of the urban residents. With the increasing numbers of urban residents who buy small living units in high-rise condominiums, how are we to understand the effect of this phenomenon?

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Painted Ladies: All About San Francisco’s Victorian Row Houses

Reflection questions, journal prompt.

The Painted Ladies of San Francisco—an iconic ensemble of Victorian and Edwardian houses—have long captured the imagination of both locals and tourists due to their jewel-toned facades and antique ornamentation. Built primarily along Steiner Street across from Alamo Square Park, these Victorian row houses encapsulate the architectural renaissance that revitalized this city during the Gold Rush. 

Characterized by their intricate detailing, multi-hued facades, and distinctive bay windows, these row houses are both aesthetic marvels and historical markers—reflecting the city’s resilience through devastating disasters like the 1906 earthquake. This article delves into the history, architecture, and cultural significance of these celebrated structures. You might be surprised to learn that the now vibrant exteriors of San Francisco’s Victorian houses were repainted during the 1960s and ‘70s. Read on to learn more about these fascinating homes.

Exploring the History of San Francisco’s Victorian Houses

San Francisco’s Victorian row houses—often referred to as “Painted Ladies”—have become one of the iconic symbols of the city. Their rich history traces back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries during California’s Gold Rush era. San Francisco saw rapid growth following the California Gold Rush of 1849. As the city’s population surged, there was a demand for housing, leading to the construction of many homes in the Victorian style, which was popular during that era.

Between the 1870s and the turn of the century, the Victorian and Edwardian styles of architecture were prominent. The homes from this era are characterized by intricate woodwork, turrets, squared bay windows, and often multiple stories. There are several subtypes of Victorian homes—including Italianate, Stick, Queen Anne, and Second Empire, among others. We will explore each of these in greater detail below.

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The devastating earthquake and subsequent fires in 1906 destroyed many of San Francisco’s historic buildings—including many Victorian homes. However, many that survived were moved to different locations or were rebuilt—preserving the style and charm of the original designs.

In the mid-20th century, the trend towards modernism and the idea of “urban renewal” led to the demolition of many older structures, including Victorians. However, preservationists and lovers of the architecture rallied to save these historic homes.

The Modern Preservation Movement to Save San Francisco’s Victorian Houses

In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a strong movement to restore and preserve the remaining Victorian homes. This movement was not just about preserving the physical structures but also the rich history and charm that they brought to the city’s neighborhoods. Ongoing efforts led by locals and by the Historic Preservation Commission established in 2008 continue to prioritize the care of these homes.

Today, the Victorian row houses are not just historical artifacts but also functioning homes. Their iconic status draws thousands of tourists every year, and they remain a testament to the city’s resilience and commitment to preserving its history. In addition to their beauty and architectural significance, these homes are also reflective of San Francisco’s diverse history—from the Gold Rush era to the present day—marking the evolution of the city through various periods of growth, decline, and rebirth.

Architectural Styles of San Francisco’s Victorian Houses

San Francisco boasts a diverse array of Victorian-era architectural styles—reflecting the evolution of design trends over the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century. These styles often overlap and can evolve over time. For instance, a house built in the Italianate style might later receive a Queen Anne-inspired addition. 

The diversity and adaptability of these styles are part of what makes San Francisco’s Victorian architecture so captivating. From Gothic Revival to  Shingle, below are the primary Victorian subtypes you’ll find across the city.

Gothic Revival 

The Gothic Revival style emerged between 1840 and 1880. Influenced by medieval design, Gothic Revival homes are distinguished by pointed arch windows, steeply pitched roofs, and decorative woodwork known as gingerbread trim. While this style is less common than others in San Francisco, you can still spot some examples.

Italianate 

The Italianate style emerged between 1850 and lost popularity around 1885. Italianate architecture was one of the most popular Victorian-era styles in San Francisco. The predominant Victorian style for row houses in San Francisco is the Italianate style. This style was favored for its adaptability to narrow urban lots—making it ideal for the city’s burgeoning row house development during that era.

Characteristics of Italianate row houses in San Francisco include tall narrow windows that are rounded or arched at the top, decorative cornices with brackets beneath the eaves, flat or low-pitched roofs, deeply overhanging eaves, and ornate moldings. Bay windows, a common feature in San Francisco’s row houses, provide extra interior light and space. Tall, narrow proportions—often spanning two or three stories—are a key characteristic of San Francisco’s Victorian row houses and others across the city.

The Stick style emerged between 1860 and lost popularity around 1890. Stick-style Victorians are characterized by their exposed wooden structural “sticks” and decorative trusses. They can be thought of as a transitional style between the Italianate and the later Queen Anne. The Sarah Mish House is one example of a Stick-Eastlake Victorian home.

Second Empire

The Second Empire style emerged between 1865 and lost popularity around 1890. This style is notable for its mansard roofs, which are flat on top and sloped on the sides. The design was inspired by architecture from the era of Napoleon III in France. Second Empire homes in San Francisco may also have other common Victorian elements, such as bay windows.

Identifiable by their gingerbread house details, the Queen style of Victorian homes emerged between 1880 and lost popularity around 1910. Queen Anne homes are often the most ornate—boasting features like turrets, spindlework, decorative brackets, and patterned shingles. Bay windows and large front porches are common.

In San Francisco, the use of multiple paint colors on these homes led to the term “Painted Ladies.” The homes in San Francisco’s famous “Postcard Row” at Alamo Square are Queen Anne style. Many are turreted Queen Anne homes.

Half a mile from Alamo Square is the Haas-Lilienthal House. The historic house in Pacific Heights is a Queen Victoria style home now listed on the National Register. Built in 1886, the Haas-Lilienthal House is not only an architectural gem but also holds significance as a historical landmark. It’s one of the few intact Victorian-era homes in the city that is open to the public as a museum. The house offers a glimpse into the life and style of a well-to-do family living in San Francisco during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Shingle style emerged between 1880 and lost popularity around 1900. This style can be thought of as a subset of Queen Anne but places an emphasis on wood shingles as the dominant exterior feature. While the details might be more restrained than the highly ornate Queen Anne homes, Shingle style homes have a rustic, cohesive look due to the continuous shingled surface.

The Painted Ladies of Alamo Square

Perhaps the most famous of San Francisco’s Victorian houses are “The Painted Ladies” of Alamo Square. The Painted Ladies are row houses—a style of housing where individual houses are built side-by-side and share common walls. Row houses are a common architectural style in urban areas—particularly in places with limited space—as they are designed to maximize the number of homes on a particular plot of land.

The Painted Ladies along Steiner Street in San Francisco are a series of adjacent homes built in a row, and they share common walls with each other. While these homes are particularly famous for their vibrant colors and Victorian and Edwardian architecture, the city has many other examples of row houses in various architectural styles.

All About the Steiner Street Row Houses

The most famous cluster of Painted Ladies is located along Steiner Street—across from Alamo Square Park—in the Western Addition neighborhood. This specific row is often referred to as “Postcard Row” or the “Seven Sisters.”

Many of these homes were built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh—a prominent figure in San Francisco’s development during this era. Their design and architectural features are characteristic of the period—showcasing intricate woodwork, turrets, and bay windows.

The trend of painting these homes in vibrant colors actually began in the 1960s and 1970s—long after the Victorian and Edwardian houses were originally constructed. Before that, many of these homes were painted in more subdued colors or were not well-maintained. 

The move towards bold colors was—in part—a backlash against the urban renewal and modernist movements. Those movements had led to the destruction of many Victorian homes. The bright colors highlighted the intricate architectural details of the homes and became a form of architectural preservation and rebellion. This probably reminds you of other postmodern movements across the US—which rebelled against the streamlined, minimalistic, and sometimes austere style of modernist architecture and interiors. 

San Francisco’s Painted Ladies in Pop Culture

The Painted Ladies of San Francisco—particularly the iconic row near Alamo Square that is sometimes referred to as “Postcard Row” or the “Seven Sisters”—have been featured in numerous movies, TV shows, commercials, and even print media due to their distinctive and picturesque appearance. For example, the opening credits of Full House and its sequel series Fuller House feature the Tanner family having a picnic in Alamo Square with the Painted Ladies in the background. The 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire —which starred Robin Williams—prominently features San Francisco, and while the house in the movie isn’t one of the Painted Ladies, they do make an appearance.

In the 1978 horror classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, these San Francisco Victorian houses are pictured in several scenes. Set in San Francisco, the Painted Ladies also make a brief appearance in The Princess Diaries and the television series Monk . Beyond movies and TV shows, the Painted Ladies have been featured in various commercials and even a few music videos over the years. 

Historic Significance and Ongoing Appreciation of San Francisco’s Victorian Row Houses

Apart from their aesthetic appeal, the Painted Ladies represent a historical period in San Francisco’s development. They have survived earthquakes, fires, and urban renewal efforts—standing as testaments to the city’s resilience and commitment to preserving its cultural heritage. 

Today, the Painted Ladies are a major tourist attraction. On any given day, you’ll find numerous tourists and locals alike, sitting in Alamo Square Park—capturing photos of these houses with the backdrop of San Francisco’s modern skyline. While the exteriors of these homes are well-known, the interiors remain private as most of them are residences.

However, there are walking tours available in San Francisco that provide historical context and details about the Painted Ladies and other historic homes in the area. Other historic Victorians in San Francisco include the Sarah Mish House and the Walker House. Sign up for a tour to celebrate San Francisco’s architectural heritage and see these

Have You Visited San Francisco’s Painted Ladies?

With part of our team based in California, DesignDash’s writers have often peered up at the pastel facades of San Francisco’s Painted Ladies. Have you? Let us know in the comments below.  

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Leading the “Social Sculpture Movement” in Houston’s Third Ward, Rick Lowe leads the success of Project Row Houses and inspires dynamic change in struggling communities across the globe.

Melissa Turner BeMagazine.org Co-Founder and Co-Editor

Most citizens probably don’t think of themselves as artists, but artist/activist Rick Lowe encourages others with the words “Everyone is an artist,” a famous slogan first advanced by artist and social sculpture theorist Joseph Beuys. “Social sculpture is the way we shape and mold the world around us,” Lowe explains. “Whether we are artists, doctors or janitors, every day we’re all contributing to the shape of the world around us.”

Through his artistic vision and passion for social activism, Lowe helped transform a neighborhood of shotgun houses in Houston’s Third Ward (which is now called Project Row Houses) into a thriving community for single mothers.

From local residents and children, social services agencies and schools, architects and urban planners and artists of various disciplines, Project Row Houses became a dynamic community project in every sense of the word. Each community member had a part to play in helping rebuild and revitalize the neighborhood. This sense of networking and making use of each community member’s creativity, talents and resources helped Lowe and the project leaders in “connecting the dots.”

As Lowe puts it, everyone has a part to play. “We’re going to have to figure out how to unleash the creativity in all our citizens,” Lowe says. “And apply it to world issues we’re dealing with.”

Learn more at projectrowhouses.org .

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Case Study: Terraced House by Hufft

Perched high above Table Rock Lake in the Missouri Ozark Mountains, the Terraced House proves there’s more than one way to set up a view. The clients, who live with their young child in Chicago, were looking for some basic requirements of a destination house—compact, sturdy, and low-maintenance. And, of course, a prospect from which to enjoy their spectacular slice of the meandering lake, which spans two states. 

The traditional way architects treat a panorama is to design a long, horizontal building parallel to the view so that every room can enjoy it. In this case, however, the lot inclined rather steeply to the cliff’s edge. And while a rear walk-out scenario with bedrooms at the top of the house and living spaces below would have worked, the owners wanted to feel more grounded. “That led us to explore rotating the orientation to be long and linear perpendicular to the lake,” says Scott Miller, RA, and introducing a series of outdoor terraces on different levels—launch points for the house. The resulting design steps graciously down the hillside in tandem with adjacent terraces on three levels—a living and dining patio, a pool, and a swath of lawn.

In his first sketches Scott studied the idea of a detached garage, but attaching it led to the home’s most eye-catching feature: an elegant carport that frames the view. “It also serves as a covered outdoor space when it rains,” he says. The carport organizes the terraces that spill down the slope behind it. “From there you walk four steps down to the main outdoor lounge with a firepit, which is connected to the dining and kitchen area, then down to the pool, and a few more steps to a large green yard,” Scott says. 

With its fascia clad in Corten steel, the carport’s cantilevering roofline extends to become a porch over the front entry. Inside, “as soon as you walk into the foyer, you see through to the lake,” Scott says. Several steps down in the open plan is the kitchen and dining room, and beyond, the living room with 12-foot-high windows. “It’s one of those jaw-dropping moments of wow, this is a pretty special spot,” he says.

Sectionally, a split through the middle of the house echoes the topography. Outside, this elevational shift is expressed as a glass slot between the boxy second story’s upper and lower volumes. Inside, it takes the form of an open-to-below void between the bunk room in the front of the house and the slightly higher pair of guest rooms facing the lake. “We tried to create zones of privacy—the primary suite is in the basement—but even with that break of the vertical space between the two bedrooms and the bunk room, which is kids’ zone central, they can be loud,” Scott says. “In the opening between them, you step up into the level with the two guest rooms; instead of being in the same hallway, it creates these zones that feel more private.” Cantilevering about 5 feet over the back of the house, the upper volume shades the living room’s western exposure. Downstairs, this volume registers as a higher ceiling in the living room, creating a sense of interior depth and vertical relief. A glazed section of kitchen wall, close to the shift, lets the cooks enjoy the view too. The main bedroom is ensconced on the walk-out ground level, with a private patio facing the view.

The light-filled house has a minimalist interior palette: the vista is the show. “Keeping it simple, durable, and of its place were our main drivers,” Scott says. White oak floors, a local material, are a mixture of rift cut and quartersawn boards. Cabinets are rift cut oak; and the granite countertops resist wear and tear. 

A steel-framed staircase reinforces the home’s clean lines. Premanufactured bent steel forms the base of the stair, with wood treads and risers on top. “Looking up at the slot, we wanted to keep the stair as minimal as we could and just have that profile of steps with a handrail springing from it,” Scott says. “You can see the bent steel plate from behind the stair.”

Cedar siding satisfied the owners’ wish for a warm, rustic exterior. The subject of intense study, according to Scott, the cladding mixes two sizes of cedar boards in an 8-foot repeating pattern to create a unique carved look. “One of the boards is thicker and denser,” Scott says. “The wood has such character and grain that the variation is difficult to pick up on. In the end maybe we overthought it, but we wanted to make sure you couldn’t tell the pattern was replicated.”

All this attention to the skin produced more than just an appealing aesthetic effect. In his workshop, builder Tom Caruso coated the boards with a natural wood preservative mixed with a gray stain to get just the right color. It should last a long time without reapplication. “The product, called Lifetime, looks like seeds that you put in water,” he says. “We used the same process for Bass Pro cabins 10 to 12 years ago and it still looks pretty much the same.”

The Corten steel on the carport fascia was also pre-weathered by a local manufacturer so that rust wouldn’t drip onto the siding. The terrace edges are clad in Corten too, so as you move up through the landscape, “the carport is the final movement where that edge of terrace is lifted up,” Scott says. 

By far, Tom’s greatest challenge came even before the house’s foundation was laid. After the septic system plan was approved, they discovered it needed to be bigger. To create the septic field, footings were dug in the ravine to build a 14-foot retaining wall on the edge of the cliff. “In the end, it’s the best thing that happened because they have a huge, terraced lawn that completes the hangout zone for them,” Scott says. 

Unexpected or considered, the result of all these moves is a house with multiple points of access to the land and unobstructed views of the sparkling lake. Scott’s shaping of both structure and landscape gives the house a light and relaxed presence—exactly what a weekend house should be.

Plans and Drawings

Project Credits

Terraced House

Ridgedale Missouri

Architect: Scott Miller, project architect, Hufft, Kansas City, Missouri

Builder: Tom Caruso, Masterpiece Builders, Branson, Missouri

Landscape Architect: PLAID Collaborative, Kansas City, Missouri

Structural Engineer: Stand-SEI, Overland, Kansas

Project size: 2,954 square feet

Site size: .57 acre

Construction cost: Withheld

Photography: Hufft

Key Products

Cabinetry: Hufft

Cabinetry Hardware: Schoolhouse

Ceiling fans: Big Ass Fans

Countertops: Caesarstone

Decking: Ipe, concrete

Dishwasher: Thermador

Entry Doors: Baldwin

Faucets: Graff, Kohler

Fireplace: Earthcore Industries

Flooring: 1’x 6’ oak

Icemaker: General Electric

Lighting: BEGA, Edge Lighting, USAI, Louis Poulsen

Range: Thermador

Refrigerator/Freezer: Thermador

Sinks: Blanco, Kohler

Tile: Daltile

Toilets: TOTO

Tub: Kaldewei, Kohler

Windows: Marvin

Wine Refrigerator: Thermador

RIDING THE VORTEX Honored With 2022 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award

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