David Baker and Caroline Souza share 9 Ways to Make Housing for People (ORO Editions) through projects that show how these principles lead to quality and value in housing. The 9 Ways are accessible strategies — for designers, developers, policymakers, and citizens — to optimize projects to benefit people and communities. David Baker Architects has been designing multifamily housing for more than four decades. With offices in San Francisco, Oakland, and Birmingham, Alabama, the firm is a pioneer in urban housing, with an award-winning design portfolio of more than 15,000 affordable and market-rate homes throughout the Bay Area and across the country.  The 9 Ways have been presented in cities across America and were featured in an exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.

David Baker, FAIA, is the founding Principal of David Baker Architects, a people-centric firm based in San Francisco, Oakland, and Birmingham, Alabama, that creates acclaimed buildings in urban environments nationwide. A leader in multifamily housing design, David has guided and overseen the design of more than 15,000 homes—more than half of those affordable homes. DBA’s designs improve places and lives, connect to nature, maximize positive impact, limit resource use, and bet proactively on the future.

A Fellow of the AIA since 1996, David has led DBA to be recognized with the 2020 AIA California Firm Award and as the 2012 Distinguished Practice.David is a co-author of 9 Ways to Make Housing for People, a handbook outlining DBA’s strategies for community-oriented design. Along with partner Yosh Asato, David co-founded StoreFrontLab, a participatory space in San Francisco that explores the storefront as a place of community, creativity, and local industry. He also creates ceramic items of utility under the name DeBakker Clay.

Caroline Souza, AIA, is a Principal at David Baker Architects. She is a skilled architect and leader in social justice design, including affordable housing and design for under-served communities. Caroline has been with DBA since 2014, expanding her role as an “architect communicator” and sharing her knowledge as a housing expert—particularly on creating viable, activated ground floors. She supports upcoming architects through mentorship and involvement with the NPH Emerging Leaders Peer Network.

Caroline is currently leading the design of a three-phase affordable housing development in Emeryville that will bring more than 350 new affordable homes and an expanded public park to the city. She recently completed La Fénix at 1950, a 157-home affordable, transit-oriented housing community in the Mission District close to the  16th Street BART station.