El Borinquen Residence

Organization Name: Alexander Gorlin Architects

Project Title: El Borinquen Residence

Project Location: Morissania, Bronx

Project Description:
El Borinquen Residence is a 10-story, 148-apartment supportive and affordable housing development designed by Alexander Gorlin Architects for nonprofit Comunilife. Named for the indigenous name of Puerto Rico, the building celebrates Latino culture and integrates art into everyday life. Inspired by Latin American Modernism, its volumes rise on pilotis, creating generous ground-floor community spaces and a gallery for local artists. The façade abstracts Comunilife’s heart-shaped logo, with a red center framed by colors evoking Latin American flags and nature. Flag-inspired tilework animates the lobby, while a mural by Aurelio del Muro and Marta Blair, based on a poem by Julia de Burgos, connects two interior courtyards. Color-coded residential corridors provide cheerful interiors and visual wayfinding. The building includes apartments for formerly homeless adults, youth aging out of foster care, seniors, and low-income families. Designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards, it features a highly insulated envelope, energy-efficient heating and cooling, low-flow fixtures, and ENERGY STAR appliances.

Community Impact:
El Borinquen Residence demonstrates how architectural design and art can contribute to the well-being, dignity, and stability of residents in supportive and affordable housing. Of the building's 148 apartments, 90 are dedicated to formerly homeless individuals and youth transitioning out of foster care, while the remaining 58 provide affordable housing for seniors and low-income community members. Developer Comunilife provides access to on-site supportive services for the residents.

Comunilife challenged Alexander Gorlin Architects to create a building infused with Latino culture and “living art,” recognizing art as an important component of residents' treatment, healthcare, and overall well-being. The building's ground-floor gallery and community space showcase work by local artists, creating opportunities for cultural engagement among residents and the surrounding neighborhood. Colorful architectural elements and artwork throughout the building celebrate the cultural identity of the community, fostering a sense of pride and belonging. Supporting residents’ well-being, enhanced insulation, air filtration, energy-efficient systems, and a green roof contribute to a healthier living environment.

Organization Description:
Alexander Gorlin Architects has been at the forefront of introducing design excellence to the development of supportive and affordable housing in New York City for the past twenty-five years. Our projects in the sector provide dignified housing for New Yorkers in need and serve as beacons of community revitalization. Many have garnered multiple awards in recognition of our innovative approach to high-quality, energy-efficient architectural design within limited budgets.

Team Members:

Comunilife: Rosa M. Gil, DSW, President and CEO
Alexander Gorlin Architects: Alexander Gorlin, Principal
Quncie Williams, Project Architect
Contractor: Mega