‘Housing for Humans’ explores how the evolving needs of modern American families
can be addressed through innovative housing design
Recent statistics have revealed that 1 in 4 Americans -more than 66 million adults- are currently living in multi-generational households.. This presents an urgent need to reimagine and redesign housing that not only solves the problem of space, but delivers social and economic value to homeowners and local communities.
This is the challenge that architect Ileana Schinder boldly tackles head-on in her latest book, Housing for Humans – A Book to Imagine, Create and Design a New Housing Model for America (Panoma Press, $17.95). The book delves into Ileana’s experiences as an architect and provides unique insight into how layers and generations of zoning, financial and cultural waves have built and demolished concepts of housing and family models.
Family dynamics have evolved, society has reframed the role of cities, and ongoing urban realities demand opportunities to create housing for all, from first-time homeowners to retirees. In her book, Ileana guides readers through the design process of new housing, such as additional dwelling units, and explores ideas that can be implemented from the suburbs to cities.
Through the history of urban design, zoning regulation, and with an emphasis on the human side of housing, Ileana explains the role that the home plays in society today. By tracking the history of residential design, the evolution of families, Ileana has created a new way of thinking about the home, Ileana has created a comprehensive guide to address the challenges of modern housing design with the needs of humans at its core.
A highly successful architect, Ileana opened her studio in 2014 designing homes and additional dwelling units that create new spaces for clients and their families to thrive. Throughout her career, Ileana has noticed a pattern in that most of her commissions to design homes were about carving out space for new modes of housing. “Families looking for housing today are very different from the ones in the Hollywood movies I grew up watching. It seems that the ideal houses we were made to believe in, are in fact fading away. More innovative options that allow for flexibility, sustainability, multigenerational approaches, and financial support are the new norm,” explains Ileana, who was born and raised in Argentina, and now lives with her family in Washington D.C.
“This book gives space to everyone who is trying to find ways to accommodate the needs of their families, to provide much-needed support to those struggling to find a home, or to those that need to find practical ways of generating additional income. I aim to give the reader permission to rethink their idea of home: where to build it, how to occupy it, and most importantly, why to design the way we do,”continues Ileana.
