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9 Ways to Make Housing for People

March 12, 2026 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM (CDT)

Description

Join the Greater Kansas City Regional Housing Partnership for a special presentation and lecture from Caroline Souza, AIA, principal at David Baker Architects (DBA), on DBA’s book, 9 Ways to Make Housing for People. Caroline will share these strategies through built and new work, making the case for the power of design, even on tight budgets, to make homes and communities that are vibrant and resilient. The lecture will be followed by an interactive discussion facilitated by Lauren Harness, AIA, Program Director at the Kansas City Design Center in which we will explore and discuss opportunities to apply Caroline’s work to communities across the Kansas City region. 

Featured Lecture Description: Every region of this country has a pressing need for housing that is attainable and supports human thriving. David Baker Architects (DBA) delivers on this need in California, the Southeast, and beyond. DBA is known for exceptional housing, creative site strategies, and designing for density. The award-winning practice is at the forefront of the housing field, designing thoughtful, sustainable, future-oriented places that bolster community and elevate lives. Critic Michael Kimmelman has referred to DBA work as an example of the “multiplier effect of good design.” 9 Ways to Make Housing for People (ORO Editions), is DBA’s book about its approach to designing affordable and market-rate housing. DBA principal Caroline Souza will share these strategies through built and new work, making the case for the power of design, even on tight budgets, to make homes and communities that are vibrant and resilient. The lecture will explore these accessible strategies captured in the book, as well as DBA’s core design principles (Design for Human Experience, Connect to Place, Do More with Less, and Bet on the Future). 

Learning Objectives: Participants will…  

  • understand patterns that contribute to communities that thrive, and how design moves support these    
  • recognize that higher design quality may be the most cost-effective strategy currently available to improve the asset value and acceptance of affordable housing 
  • understand that design excellence in housing incorporates the latest innovations in design, materials, and building techniques and has yielded encouraging alternatives that create substantial assets for both residents and their communities 
  • understand that good design is more than aesthetics -- and be prepared to apply the ways to specific projects 

Event Sponsors: KC Regional Housing Partnership, AIA KC 


SPEAKER DETAILS:  

Featured Speaker: Caroline Souza, AIA – Principal, David Baker Architects 

Facilitator: Lauren Harness, AIA – Program Director, Kansas City Design Center 

Featured Speaker Bio: Caroline Souza, AIA, is a Principal at David Baker Architects—a nationally known, locally focused architecture and urban design firm based in San Francisco and Birmingham, Alabama. Caroline specializes in social justice in design, including affordable housing and design in underserved communities. She frequently shares her knowledge as a housing expert at universities and conferences, speaking about the practice of architecture and on designing robust human-scaled communities that engage residents and activate neighborhoods. She leads DBA’s internal design review program, shaping a culture that creates and celebrates clear, collaborative, human-centered design. She currently serves as a board member of AIA San Francisco. 

At the nexus of housing, climate, and community, DBA’s work seizes opportunities to enact meaningful change—forging strong partnerships to create livable density and resilient, human-centered places that uplift communities at all scales. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Birmingham, Alabama, DBA’s diverse, collaborative team is committed to designing and leading with expertise, curiosity, tenacity, pragmatism, and joy. We design thoughtful places that allow communities to thrive and that serve as a multiplier of good—that is, that enable and support engagement, connection, and other neighborhood benefits. DBA is a Certified B Corp, a JUST 2.0 Label organization, and a 10-year reporting signatory of the AIA 2030 Commitment, with strong values in advancing social equity and sustainability in architecture. 

Location

The American Institute of Architects Kansas City

1801 McGee Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64108

Located 4 blocks from Kansas City Streetcar stop, Crossroads: 19th & Main

Contact Information

Mid-America Regional Council
Name: Hannah Mitchell
Email: hmitchell@marc.org
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