Miho Asada

Architecture is supposed to be for the human experience, but we see too often that buildings are designed and built for the small few that can afford it. Even housing is a luxury in Los Angeles with a long history of marginalized people being displaced by those who can pay for new construction. In order to truly design for the people in a community you must look closely at the neighborhood: the history of what has happened there, who the users are, and how the needs of a community have changed over time.

Site analysis is more than just climate and geographical research; to site is to cite2 the experiences and input of the people who understand the full context.

“New Home” aims to undo the damage that Parker Center did in the 1950s and create a bridge between Little Tokyo and Civic Center instead of building another wall. The nature and community-based programming expands on the pedestrian lifestyle of the neighborhood. The privacy creates a safe and relaxed atmosphere for the unhoused LGBTQ+ community arriving to their new home.

Site /sīt/ - An area of ground on which a town, building, or monument is constructed

2 Cite /sīt/ - Quote as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work