Design
'It Wouldn't Happen Today'
In the 1970s, a state agency tapped some of the best young architects in the country for an ambitious affordable housing effort that—despite its flaws—could not be matched today.
Twin Parks, an affordable housing project in the Bronx, does not comport with expectations.
Principally completed between 1971 and 1975, its 2,250 units span numerous non-contiguous parcels. Aesthetically, it encompasses a range of experiments by notable designers and displays great skill and imagination in arrangement and use. Overall, it provides palpably better affordable housing than what’s typically offered in the U.S., and maintains an engaged community.