Cordary Commons is a visionary affordable housing project in Hawthorne, CA, designed as a restorative, community-centered urban courtyard block. The development reimagines a challenging infill site into 97 units of supportive and family housing organized around vibrant, accessible open spaces. The architecture and landscape are holistically integrated, with the buildings acting as a “foil” for generous courtyards and gardens that offer spaces for play, healing, and community gathering—including sensory gardens, tot lots, and teen areas.
A trauma-informed design framework anchors the project, prioritizing choice, community, and comfort to uplift residents’ dignity and agency. Indoor and outdoor spaces are designed for inclusivity and connection, promoting wellness through natural daylight, ventilation, and high-efficiency systems. Over 75% of plantings are drought-tolerant, and stormwater is managed through on-site bioswales to support sustainability and resilience.
The building mass steps down toward the adjacent neighborhood, using terraces, bay windows, and warm materials to humanize scale and create visual connection. Amenities include a central plaza, social stairs, communal laundry, community rooms, and robust bike parking. The project achieves density and open space goals while dramatically reducing parking to promote walkability and environmental stewardship.
Cordary Commons sets a new benchmark for affordable housing: environmentally responsible, deeply rooted in place, and a beacon of hope, beauty, and empowerment for an underserved community. The project’s restorative, people-first approach exemplifies design excellence in service of social impact and urban resilience.
