Location: San Francisco, CA

Completed: Spring 2005

The competition represented an opportunity to develop a prototype for urban infill housing in a neighborhood which has been revitalized since the demolition of the Central Freeway.  The project responded to this challenge by identifying four qualities which embody San Francisco architecture and culture in the 21st century: Progressive, Sustainable, Inclusive, & Intertwined.  Through outlining these qualities, the project attempts to critique and refine what is unique about San Francisco, while imbuing the building with a connectivity, inclusiveness, and commitment to sustainability which is not currently prevalent in the city’s architecture.  

The building is designed to intertwine public and private space in a linear courtyard at its rear. Large pivoting sculptural doors and a double-height portal connect to the courtyard, creating a semi-public outdoor space which includes both the residents and the larger community in one shared experience. On the upper floors, translucent volumes act in a similar fashion, making spatial connections to the linear courtyard, as well as a series of semi-public roof gardens and gathering spaces.  These volumes project aggressively into the outdoor spaces beyond, allowing the private realm of the units to intertwine with the semi-public and public realm of the street.  Grid-connected rooftop plots animate these spaces and encourage a democratic approach to sustainability; each resident can integrate sustainable technologies into the building fabric within their plot.