Crafting Home: A Collaborative Workshop on the Future of Housing in Philadelphia

About this Event

CBP invites you to "Crafting Home," an essential conversation exploring how to efficiently create housing for everyone in Philadelphia. This collaborative event welcomes neighbors and visionaries of all ages to rethink city land use and housing design.

Crafting Home: A Collaborative Workshop on the Future of Housing in Philadelphia

What does it truly mean to “craft a home” in Philadelphia? At CBP Architects, we believe the answer lies in a mix of smart design, community dialogue, and a fresh look at our city’s resources. We’re opening our doors and inviting you—whether you’re a seasoned architect or someone who just cares about the future of our neighborhoods—to join us for a hands-on exploration of how we live.

How Much is “Enough”?

In this workshop, we’re digging into the numbers to ask: “How much is enough?” We’ll compare global living standards, looking at everything from cozy 500 SF efficiency units to the 2,200 SF average American home. The best part? You get to be the designer. We’ll put the tools in your hands to lay out your own functional dwelling unit using the same components we use in our professional practice. You’ll see firsthand that “efficient” doesn’t have to mean “cramped,” and that comfort and sustainability can absolutely coexist.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Design isn’t just about floor plans; it’s about how our buildings hit the ground. We’ll chat about how shifting our building codes can boost a building’s leasable efficiency from 78% all the way to 92%. Did you know that 100 homes could take up as little as 16,750 SF or as much as 40,000 SF, depending on the architectural typology? By choosing smarter layouts, we can house more people while leaving more room for parks, gardens, and community spaces.

Space for Everyone

One of the most important questions we’ll tackle is: Does Philly have the space to house our unhoused neighbors? The answer is a resounding YES. With over 34 million square feet of vacant ground in Philadelphia and roughly 5,200 neighbors currently living on the streets, the math tells a powerful story. We’ll visually demonstrate that ending homelessness isn’t a problem of missing space; it’s about how we choose to prioritize our land.

Come grab a seat, pick up a scale, and rethink the future of our city together. We can’t wait to see what you design!