Some buildings are really gay. And that's great. Around the world, new kinds of buildings are developing that cater to the issues prevalent among LGBT people. Shelters are being built for LGBT youth, who make up as much as 40% of America's homeless population; low-income housing is being designed for aging seniors who often lack the traditional family structures that support heterosexual elders; and in a park in Detroit traveling, deconstructed signs for queer people of color have celebrated the joy of being alive. Global gay culture doesn't have any traditional architectural style for designers to work in, and each of these projects tackles the question of what it means to design for a social minority in a different way. While any of these buildings could be repurposed for a broader population, they all tend to embrace their mission with unconventional flair, balancing color and playful forms with a sense of dignity to create comfortable homes for people who may not have anywhere else to go. Many of the built projects here were realized by affordable housing developers who show that even buildings with humble budgets can still reach pretty lofty heights, both aesthetically and socially.
The La Brea Affordable Housing project by Tighe Architects wraps a sculptural facade around residences for formerly homeless LGBT youth that center around a generous public courtyard.
The Firodia Center in Ahmednagar, India brings color and comfort to an administrative center for an organization that supports women, children, and LGBT people dealing with poverty, illness, and violence.
The Town Hall Apartments in Chicago give low-income for seniors vibrant colors, bold patterns, and ample community spaces to foster a sense of aging with vitality.
The BOOM projects challenged architects to invent new strategies for senior LGBT communities. The results are formally diverse campuses that rethink the divide between public and private spaces and what is 'appropriate' for senior citizens.
Sparkle. Glitter. Pop! is a deconstructed sign for LGBT Detroit that was paraded through the Black Gay Pride Palmer Park Picnic as a way to celebrate the often overlooked queer black community.
The La Brea Affordable Housing project by Tighe Architects wraps a sculptural facade around residences for formerly homeless LGBT youth that center around a generous public courtyard.
The Firodia Center in Ahmednagar, India brings color and comfort to an administrative center for an organization that supports women, children, and LGBT people dealing with poverty, illness, and violence.
The Town Hall Apartments in Chicago give low-income for seniors vibrant colors, bold patterns, and ample community spaces to foster a sense of aging with vitality.
The BOOM projects challenged architects to invent new strategies for senior LGBT communities. The results are formally diverse campuses that rethink the divide between public and private spaces and what is 'appropriate' for senior citizens.
Sparkle. Glitter. Pop! is a deconstructed sign for LGBT Detroit that was paraded through the Black Gay Pride Palmer Park Picnic as a way to celebrate the often overlooked queer black community.
