The Loop
A diverse resident community of seniors and young professionals, connected through a communal loop of outdoor spaces.
Program
Housing
Location
Melrose, Bronx
Year
2020
Team
With Hao Zhong
Awards
Creative Mood Expo 2025
#3 Top 5 Axonometric 2022
The Loop proposes an intergenerational housing model that brings together seniors and young professionals in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. Rather than segregating residents by age, the design creates shared spaces and circulation paths that encourage daily interaction and mutual support.
The project takes its name from a continuous outdoor loop that winds through the building at multiple levels—a shared terrace, garden, and circulation path that connects all residents regardless of which unit type they occupy. This loop becomes the social spine of the community, hosting impromptu gatherings, gardening activities, and daily encounters.
The building accommodates three resident types: seniors seeking community and accessibility, young professionals seeking affordability, and small families seeking space. Each group has units tailored to their needs, but all share access to common amenities including a community kitchen, library, fitness room, and rooftop garden.
The sectional organization places senior units on lower floors for accessibility, with young professional studios and family units above. The continuous loop terrace steps up through the building, ensuring that residents encounter one another as they move between private and shared spaces.
The building's massing is shaped to optimize natural ventilation and daylight access. Deep balconies provide shade in summer while allowing winter sun to penetrate, and the loop terrace creates a continuous path for cross-ventilation through common areas.
