NC Five, which opened in the fall of 2021 and is located in Philadelphia’s North Central neighborhood, is a leading example of what green and healthy mixed-income housing should look like: designed to optimize and enhance all social and environmental determinants of health and well-being.The 133 mixed-income-unit project was designed with tenant and community well-being and environmental efficiency at its core, drawing on a series of stakeholder engagement meetings to ensure that this new development would fully meet the needs of the surrounding community.

The shared goal for NC Five was to, through the collective design and development process, enhance the connections between people and the pathways to opportunity, to improve the health of the buildings in which they live, and to serve as a catalyst for positive change in surrounding neighborhoods. A great housing community is the foundation from which all residents, employees, and neighbors can thrive in safety, health, economic opportunity, and with a strong culture of connectedness.

The design encourages a connection to the outdoors through siting the communal spaces at the perimeter of the building surrounding the multi-level landscaped courtyard. Each space, both inside and out, addresses a hierarchy of human needs, allowing the opportunity for residents to interact, gather and engage, or reflect and contemplate. By utilizing green space, healthy materials, proper acoustics, and energy efficient systems to positively influence the health and wellbeing of residents. The expansive outdoor green space also promotes physical and mental health, social wellness, connection, all while contributing to healthy urban ecologies to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of cities.

The connection with nature played a major role in the design of the landscape and the materiality of the buildings. A symbiotic relationship between the built and natural environment is highlighted through the selection of non-toxic, resilient materials which embody the landscape. Interior materials were selected to bring the outside in – anchored in a subdued color palette, rich wood ceiling details and built-ins lend additional warmth and texture.

The design confronts issues of livability, safety, housing choice, after school activities, community services, and vacant and blighted properties. Throughout the design process, residents took part in developing programmatic strategies to activate the site by tying into existing infrastructure and mobility frameworks to create a transit-oriented neighborhood. Extensive and inclusive engagement of previous Norris Homes residents and community stakeholders helped identify housing and neighborhood priorities. The project team used that input to test and design a housing and neighborhood plan that met HUD program requirements while maintaining focus on the strong community vision and integrating seamlessly into the existing urban fabric.

The architecture and the landscape work together to enhance the interactions of residents to the public, semi-public, and private green spaces. The open urban green space helps the neighborhood by implementing more localized storm-water management practices and promoting healthy ecosystems throughout the neighborhood.

Project Partners

• Developer/ Owner – Jonathan Rose Companies
• Architect / Landscape Architect – WRT
• Mechanical Engineer – McHugh Engineering Associates
• Structural Engineer –  Macintosh Engineering
• Civil Engineer – Meliora Design
• Environmental Engineer – MaGrann Associates
• Lighting Designer – Beam
• Contractor – Domus, Inc.