The Six Recognized by American Institute of Architects for Excellence in Design

Skid Row Housing Trust’s The Six, a permanent supportive housing property designed by Brooks + Scarpa for formerly homeless individuals and veterans in MacArthur Park, receives the 2017 Institute Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the AIA Conference on Architecture in Orlando, FL today. The Institute Honor Awards are AIA’s highest recognition for excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. Selected from roughly 700 submissions, The Six is one of 23 recipients located throughout the world that are being honored this year. It is the only project selected in Southern California.

The Six will also receive a 2017 AIA Housing Design Award, which celebrates homes that combine beauty, safety, and sustainability. The Six is specifically recognized for affordable housing design that meets the specialized needs of residents. “The Six was designed from the ground up to facilitate healing and community both within and beyond the building’s walls,” said Mike Alvidrez, CEO of Skid Row Housing Trust.

The Six offers 52 beautiful, safe, and supportive homes to individuals who have experienced homelessness, with 18 of them set aside specifically for veterans. In the military, “got your six” means “I’ve got your back.” Brooks + Scarpa’s innovative design thoughtfully balances privacy with opportunities to connect with the community. The Six has onsite supportive services and 24-hour property management on the ground floor, and a spacious courtyard and community rooms on the second floor that offer peaceful respite and space for social gatherings. A bridge on the fifth floor spans the front of the courtyard, a gesture that helps to bring the scale of the building down to a more pedestrian level, and heightens the interior-exterior connectivity of the courtyard and streetscape. Incorporating energy-efficiency measures that exceed standard practice, including passive design strategies that maximize natural light and airflow, The Six received LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Located in MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, The Six is a striking addition to a neighborhood that has one of highest population densities the United States. It is an example of the innovative projects Measure HHH could help fund throughout the City of Los Angeles. “We intentionally design our buildings so that they stand out as iconic, community-serving, architectural landmarks,” said Dana Trujillo, the Trust’s Chief Investment and Finance Officer. “We want to tell residents that they are important through the building that’s now their home.”

You can read more about The Six in Co.Design.

The Six Innovative Design The Six Innovative Design The Six Innovative Design

CCA Community Exchange Day

In partnership with Central City Association (CCA), the Trust hosted a Community Exchange Day on Friday, April 21st at the Star Apartments. CCA members and Trust residents participated in a myriad of activities together, including meditation, gardening, and pickleball. Piece by Piece held mosaic workshops, and L.A. Kitchen‘s culinary job training students made everyone lunch. The day gave CCA members insight into proven strategies that address homelessness, like permanent supportive housing, and demonstrated the array of supportive programs that help residents heal and build a sustainable life.

Addressing homelessness is one of CCA’s top priorities, and the exchange day is part of a larger campaign to connect CCA members to programs that serve the community. “Participating in the CCA event at Star Apartments was an incredible experience.  The level of expertise in the individuals leading the workshops and the end game of empowering formerly homeless individuals was inspiring,” commented Sara Soudani of Commonwealth Land Title. “I enjoyed being a part of the Piece by Piece art workshop and appreciated learning that low-income individuals can enroll in classes at no charge and then have their work displayed in art galleries.”

On skid row, rebuilding a dream one mosaic at a time

Piece by Piece, a partner of Skid Row Housing Trust, is featured in the Los Angeles Times to demonstrate the impact of funding for the arts. Piece by Piece offers low-income and formerly homeless individuals free mosaic art workshops that develop soft skills, build self-confidence, and create opportunities to earn income.