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College of Design 
Affordable Housing + Sustainable Communities

Homes for Artists

August 3, 2016

HOMES FOR ARTISTS | Affordable Housing to Support Creative Communities in Raleigh

As Raleigh and the Triangle Area continue to grow so do its housing needs. Raleigh is attracting new residents who are drawn to its cultural amenities and its entrepreneurial spirit and are looking for ways to live affordably in central city locations. New or revived housing models are growing in popularity, which reflects changing demographics and housing attitudes and needs. But Raleigh’s success also comes with challenges. Many are affected by rising housing costs including artists who depend on affordable housing near city centers. The Raleigh Arts Plan (June 2016) calls for enhancing the “vitality of Raleigh’s neighborhoods and districts through thoughtful placemaking.” Affordable housing is central to this goal.

The Homes for Artists Project was a research and design project conducted by the School of Architecture at NC State University, in partnership with the Visual Art Exchange, to investigate the housing needs of Raleigh’s artists and creative communities. Graduate students researched national best practices, and designed and envisioned affordable artist housing for local arts organizations.

The Homes for Artists Project was supported by the VAE FLIGHT Fund and the AIA North Carolina Center for Architecture and Design.

Project dates

August 15, 2016 – February 1, 2016

Project Coordinator

Thomas Barrie, Professor of Architecture, NC State University tom_barrie@ncsu.edu

Project Partners

Steering Committee

  • Thomas Barrie, Professor, NC State University
  • Pam Blondin, Deco Raleigh
  • Emma Blondin, student, NC State
  • Amy Bullington, Clearscapes
  • Brandon Cordray, Executive Director, Visual Artist Exchange
  • Bill King, Senior Director: Economic Development, Downtown Raleigh Alliance
  • Mary Poole, President and CEO, Artspace
  • Sarah Powers, Executive Director, Office of Raleigh Arts
  • Jon Zellweger, Chair, Board of Directors, Visual Artist Exchange

Design Partners

  • Artspace
  • Flanders Gallery
  • Loden Properties
  • Pinecone
  • Visual Art Exchange

Supporting Materials

Images