Susana Torre characterizes her work as the search for alternatives to monofunctionalism, normative spatial theory, and prescriptive urban theory. Torre begins with two recent projects: lounges within the Pension Building for the federal Design Assembly conference, and a shopping mall in New Jersey. Torre describes a research and design project dealing with the fact that most houses and housing are designed for types of families that are no longer relevant. Torre and her students propose residential designs that reflected the diverse needs of households where both parents work, and single-parent households.