Wentworth II

Wentworth II Community Housing Project

This project is Phase II of the Wentworth Community Housing project and is located on the same site as Wentworth I.  gbA continued to work with Twin Pines Housing Trust and Evernorth to create 17 affordable housing units with 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms that are targeted to households earning between 80 and 120% of area median income.  The new buildings include a community space, onsite laundry, private entrances with patios or porches, and the use of outdoor amenities, including community gardens, outdoor seating areas under a pergola, and play spaces.  In an effort to move closer to net zero energy, the building is entirely equipped with electric heating and ventilating, which will be substantially offset with solar pv panels installed on the roof.

One of the project’s design goals was to utilize the sloping site to its advantage to differentiate each townhouse as it steps up the hill.  In addition, the porch is a key concept element and was designed so that each family has its own porch to watch people come and go into the new community.  The idea of the porch is to encourage socializing among the neighbors as well as provide “eyes on the street’” which is an effective planning strategy for safe neighborhoods.   The back of the townhouses provides a quieter refuge for the tenants, and views to the woods.