Supporting Self-Sufficiency for Boston’s Homeless
Heading Home is a Boston-based nonprofit with an ambitious mission: to end homelessness in Greater Boston. We are proud to collaborate with them on this meaningful project to design 20 affordable, supportive housing units at their 37 Wales Street property.
These apartments allow Heading Home to serve and support more of Boston’s most vulnerable families for generations to come, addressing one of the City and State’s top housing priorities.
Location
Dorchester, MA
Client
Heading Home
Size / Area
26,750 SF
Certifications
Phius Certifiable, LEED Gold Certifiable
Energy Use Intensity
14.6 pEUI
Units
20
Housing that Heals
The 37 Wales Street property, sitting on approximately 10,000 square feet in a residential area, provides safety and stability to households earning at or below 30% of Area Median Income. We designed a new four-story apartment building to replace the existing structure, featuring 2- and 3-bedroom family-sized apartments, first-floor common space, and a Program Manager office where Heading Home’s staff will provide essential on-site support services.
We designed the new building not only to house, but to heal, ensuring the long-term success of its residents. Design features include:
- biophilic and therapeutic colors and finishes to create a calming and nurturing environment
- large windows, allowing for ample natural light
- open-concept floor plans, offering flexibility in choosing home furnishings
- breathtaking views of the Blue Hills in some units
- continuous ventilation and healthy materials to promote a healthy indoor environment
- an energy-efficient HVAC system for year-round comfort
A Convenient Community
37 Wales Street is centrally located in a family-friendly community. It is within walking distance of Franklin and Harambee Parks, the Blue Hills Boys and Girls Club, the Salvation Army Children’s Learning Centers, and several Boston Public Schools. In addition to easy access to public transit, the new building will offer secure bike storage for added convenience.
“We are honored to have Studio G’s partnership on this transformational project that, once built, will become the largest location of permanent supportive housing for families in Boston. As homelessness is often generational, the 37 Wales project will have a positive multi-generational impact on the economic mobility, stability and housing independence for the families who will live there. We are so proud to be a part of this collaborative, innovative solution that substantively addresses the growing concern for family homelessness in the City of Boston.”
– Danielle Ferrier, CEO Heading Home
Targeting High-Performance
As with many of our projects at Studio G, sustainability is a key consideration in this project. Using passive building design features, the building is constructed to meet Phius and LEED Gold certifiable standards and features a high-performance building envelope, all-electric HVAC, and low water consumption plumbing fixtures. It’s also Solar PV ready.
With funding from EOHLC and the City of Boston, this transformative project provides beautiful, dignified, and stable housing.
