ISA

LOCAL TEXTURE

Urban security grates, often installed ad hoc by owners in high-crime areas, can be expensive and feel imposing, discouraging neighborhood connectedness. On a Philadelphia block lined with grills protecting exterior porches, this 10-unit affordable housing project features a series of custom-fabricated metal grills produced at the metal shop across the street. The undulating screens provide secure outdoor living spaces for residents while serving double duty as armatures for urban farming. Interior unit layouts encourage multi-generational living, with suites for aging parents or older children located in the rear of half the units.