TRUE NORTH
True North is a new Habitat for Humanity affordable homeownership community comprising 50-units of two-, three-, and four-plex townhomes across four unique neighborhood clusters. The project focuses on providing new homeownership opportunities to generationally displaced Black families. Balancing the needs between self-sufficient spaces and shared community access, True North provides residents with a stake of their own while fostering environments to gather and grow.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Portland, OR
DEVELOPER
Habitat for Humanity
SIZE
66,170 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2028
SITE
The triangular site held both exciting opportunities and logistical challenges, with each informing the final design. Early on, we narrowed these considerations down into a common set of priorities, a “three-legged stool”, that would define a successful site: parking availability, unit density, and conservation of existing trees. Throughout the project, we regularly conducted studies to keep these elements in balance and maximize their presence in the final design.
Our team faced unexpected challenges when two adjacent streets were connected through the site, severing it in two. Though, while this slightly separated the neighborhoods, it also increased access for parking, emergency vehicles, and other vehicles transitioning through the site. These infrastructure improvements further supported a “20-minute neighborhood”, providing residents with immediate, walkable access to key resources such as grocery stores, public transportation, schools, daycare providers, local small businesses, and parks.
CONTEXT
True North supports the efforts of the North/Northeast Preference Policy by addressing the harmful impacts of urban renewal with informed design. Our team conducted engagement sessions with potential future owners to craft a design that addresses the specific wants and concerns of the demographics most likely to inhabit the new homes. Prominent, shared interests quickly rose to the top: visually distinct exteriors, a strong sense of ownership, security, privacy, and access to community. By soliciting this feedback and involving potential stakeholders early on, the resulting design accurately reflected the specific needs of residents.
As Habitat for Humanity utilizes a volunteer workforce with varied construction experience, the final design necessitated highly thorough, easily readable, and intuitively constructed drawings. Due to volunteering being a prerequisite for ownership, the meticulous drawings and informative construction process enable future owners with the skills and experience necessary to maintain their new homes well into the future.
DESIGN
The design draws from the historic language of nearby early-twentieth-century homes. The simplified American farmhouse and craftsman style homes utilize gable-roof forms, screened porches, and earth-tone palettes. Bordering the Peninsula Trail, this site encourages interaction with nature and has ample green space for homeowners to connect with the outdoors. Sustainable elements are integrated throughout the design; homes are solar-ready, equipped with heat-pump water heaters, ERV systems for fresh air, in-unit laundry, and climate-responsive cooling.
While visually aligned, each of the four neighborhood clusters also holds its own differentiating, unique element: a stunning heritage tree, a colorful playground, a lush garden, or a communal barbeque. These diverse amenities contribute to a sense of ownership yet still serve as key community assets.
