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Join AIA|DC’s Housing the Region Committee, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU DC) for an engaging evening exploring how smarter housing design can help advance more walkable, inclusive, and resilient neighborhoods.

As communities across the Washington region grapple with housing affordability, zoning reform, and the urgent need for more diverse housing options, single-stair multifamily housing has emerged as one of the most compelling—and increasingly debated—design and policy opportunities in the national housing conversation. This event brings together leaders from advocacy, architecture, and urban design to examine how this innovative housing typology can support more human-scaled, transit-supportive communities while expanding housing choice.

Featured speakers include Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, who will frame the broader regional imperative for walkability, sustainable growth, and stronger collaboration with the design community; Charles Warren, AIA, of Teass\Warren Architects, who will discuss DC’s recently approved One Front Door initiative alongside his firm’s work advancing single-stair multifamily housing; and Thomas Long of Torti Gallas + Partners, representing CNU Mid-Atlantic, who will present two award-winning housing concepts from the 2025 Baltimore CNU Single-Stair Design Competition.

A moderated Q+A will follow, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers on the design, policy, and implementation challenges ahead.

Whether you are an architect, planner, developer, policymaker, housing advocate, or simply interested in the future of better housing and better neighborhoods, this promises to be a timely and thought-provoking conversation.

Learning objective 1:
Evaluate the design, code, and life-safety implications of single-stair multifamily housing typologies as an emerging alternative to conventional double-loaded corridor residential buildings.

Learning objective 2:
Assess how walkable neighborhood planning principles and housing typology choices can support healthier, safer, and more resilient community development outcomes.

Learning objective 3:
Compare built and conceptual multifamily case studies to identify the opportunities and constraints associated with integrating single-stair housing models within North American urban contexts.

Learning objective 4:
Examine the relationship between regulatory frameworks, entitlement pathways, and design innovation in advancing housing diversity and more context-responsive residential development.

Presenters:

Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth 

Charles Warren, AIA, of Teass\Warren Architects 

Thomas Long of Torti Gallas + Partners, representing CNU Mid-Atlantic

This event is sponsored by MV+A