Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Named Cross Park Place, Neumann Monson Architects’ sustainable residential project is the result of research-based programming and humanitarian intent, providing a sturdy, reliable platform for impactful design.
The project has recently been awarded a 2023 Green Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Research suggested the Iowa City community needed a new approach to achieving sustained impact for its chronically homeless population.
Non-profit, government, healthcare, and law enforcement officials tracked the service utilization of four chronically homeless individuals.
These individuals, and others like them, were caught in a cycle of jails, shelters, emergency rooms, or other crisis services, only to return to life on the streets and enter the cycle again.
The data showed the cost of services for these four individuals totaled over $ 2.1 million over four years.
Spurred by this data, a Housing First, FUSE (Frequent User System Engagement) model was pursued.
This nationally-recognized approach anticipated a 60 percent cost reduction in services used, and improved health and dignity for tenants.
The two-story 14,300 sf building consists of three primary components: shelter (private apartments); community gathering spaces (indoor and outdoor); and health (optional on-site social and health resources).
Tenants choose how long they will stay at the facility.
Some will stay for the rest of their lives (apartments are designed to age in place) and some will transition to more independent living situations.
The facility’s front porch gathering space is screened to provide veiled privacy for residents.
The facility is operated by a non-profit that offers a full continuum of services for those struggling with temporary or chronic homelessness.
A major goal for this project was to reduce operating and maintenance costs as much as possible.
The building utilizes various sustainability strategies, both visually present and hidden.
The durable brick exterior is nearly maintenance-free.
A 53-panel photovoltaic rooftop array produces approximately 18,800 kWh per year.
The wall insulation value is R-25 and the roof insulation value is R-58 average.
A high-efficiency electric air-sourced VRF heating/cooling system provides thermal comfort to the building.
An effort was made to use electricity where possible on the project, minimizing the use of natural gas.
The building performs 25% better than the code baseline.
Cross Park Place is the first of its kind in Iowa and is already demonstrating success for the community and, more importantly, the residents that call it home.
Project: Cross Park Place
Architects: Neumann Monson Architects
Client: Shelter House
Photographers: Integrated Studio
