“Legally bland: Why Providence’s much-needed new housing looks ugly, and can it be fixed?”

The Providence Journal recently interviewed our co-founder, Douglas Kallfelz, as part of a broader discussion about Providence bolstering its design review process. The article explores whether projects heading directly to the Plan Commission should have more rigorous design standards, and the piece features insights from various stakeholders in the Providence development community. Douglas was among several experts invited to share their perspectives, including City Councilwoman Helen Anthony, Deputy Planning Director Bob Azar, and former Providence Journal architecture critic David Brussat.
The catalyst for this conversation is the spread of a controversial urban architectural style that’s been frequently and increasingly used on many of the city’s much-needed attainable housing projects.
Speaking to Union’s philosophy and approach, Douglas emphasized that “you can still build elegant, cost-effective buildings that are up to four stories tall by focusing on the basics – traditional proportions, simple siding materials and nice trim details.” He added, “Oftentimes, when people think of design, they think of it as something that has to stand out, rather than something that can be part of the neighborhood — when the focus should be on doing that really well.”
full article on Providence Journal