Design Matters Toolkit

The Design Matters Toolkit  supports developers in adopting the three core practices for achieving people-focused design: 1.) Mission, 2.) Design, and 3.) Impact. It was developed from learnings and research stemming from our Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute.

What our research reiterated is that affordable housing is designed, financed, and built within a complex ecosystem that poses many constraints on design, therefore it will take new tools and leadership to interrupt the status quo.  

• Project Mission Writer: This workbook is broken down into three parts: Establishing Context, Creating Your Project Mission, and Communicating Your Project Mission. Craft a simple, bold vision for your development. Utilize this tool during pre-development and value engineering.
• Design Principles Primer: In this workbook you will develop new and innovative design strategies to fulfill on your project’s big goals by refining your project mission, aligning spaces with mission, and leveraging design principles.
• Impact Measurement Guide: In this workbook, you will do the foundational work to measure and promote your project’s impacts.