Multifamily Projects
A WELL ORGANIZED SPACE
Everything in its place. This applies to a building with well-considered storage designed to handle the stuff of our lives. But it also applies to the building itself. We seek to reduce and align the architecture to create a clarity of space and form. Nothing jutting out. No weird corners. Simple clean spaces that are easy on the eyes and the brain. We group together ‘solid’ program such as storage and bathrooms, so that the remaining spaces can be open, clean and bright.
A WELL ORGANIZED SPACE
Everything in its place. This applies to a building with well-considered storage designed to handle the stuff of our lives. But it also applies to the building itself. We seek to reduce and align the architecture to create a clarity of space and form. Nothing jutting out. No weird corners. Simple clean spaces that are easy on the eyes and the brain. We group together ‘solid’ program such as storage and bathrooms, so that the remaining spaces can be open, clean and bright.
159 Fell Street is a 7 story multifamily building with 24 residential units, a retail space and shared open space at a roof terrace. It is five levels of Type 3 wood construction over a two level Type 1 concrete podium. The site is an long narrow urban infill through lot from Fell Street to Hickory Street in Hayes Valley. The units are designed for urban living with bicycle parking and no automotive parking. The retail space extends through the through lot to activate the back alley. The façade design cross pollinates classic San Francisco bay windows with the deep-set masonry construction found on the historic building across the street and includes custom steel assemblies to reference the history of the site as an automotive shop. Construction is slated for mid 2022.
Treat Ave is a new 6-unit residential development on an unusual lot in the Mission District. The triangular lot is the result of the slice that the now-removed Southern Pacific Rail lines made through the area, cutting an irregular arcing diagonal through the grid of the city. This project blends the industrial heritage of the area with its new identity as a highly livable and vibrant urban community. We developed this as two individual buildings sharing one lot, each with three units, as a nod to the classic triplex typology found throughout the Mission. Each building presents a different façade and materiality to the street so as to not overwhelm the streetscape with one wide new structure. And each building contains a distinct interior finish palette. Each building contains two full floor flats and an upper two-level penthouse featuring a dramatic double-height living room and roof terrace. Every floorplan is unique for a truly boutique approach to urban infill multifamily.
VIEWS
With the dramatic topography of the Bay Area, impressive views are often possible and desirable. We seek to frame and maximize these profound views. But views are also more than the city skyline or the distant hills. Views can be intimate and personal; the perfect framing of a sculptural oak tree or the scene of your kids playing in the backyard seen from the kitchen sink.
VIEWS
With the dramatic topography of the Bay Area, impressive views are often possible and desirable. We seek to frame and maximize these profound views. But views are also more than the city skyline or the distant hills. Views can be intimate and personal; the perfect framing of a sculptural oak tree or the scene of your kids playing in the backyard seen from the kitchen sink.
2051 Market Street is a new dynamic ground-up multifamily development, contributing to the changing streetscape of the Upper Market section of the Castro district. This project features 29 residential units over ground floor retail. It is a 5 stories of Type 3A wood construction over a two level Type 1 concrete podium. We are utilizing the State Density Bonus to decrease the rear yard requirement and will provide several Inclusionary dwelling units. The project is in entitlement currently.
The facade concept uses a sequence of stacked frames to align with and expand on the varied scale of the neighboring structures. Wood appearance infill panels and full height glazing bring a warm contemporary feel to the design.
A new 40-unit residential building proposed for a site near the soon-to-be-reimagined Broadway Autorow district of Oakland. This development is planned with a variety of interesting exterior social spaces, including a courtyard for use by all residents and smaller balconies and terraces for use of smaller groupings and subsets. These smaller spaces are unified behind mesh screens, filtering the strong sun of Oakland, creating enjoyable microclimates.
As contemporary architects, we can sometimes see the good ideas even within bad buildings. This project re-imagines one of the 1960s apartment blocks found throughout Oakland. The building was weathered and suffered from some poor decisions over the years, but under it all we saw an architectural logic that was not that far off what we would try to achieve today. With select changes, we sought to bring that logic forward and to upgrade the feel of the façade, lobby, stairwell and corridors.
Selected for the AIA Architecture and the City Home Tour, 2022.
This project is a multifamily infill on a prominent urban site at the intersection of 24th St and Dolores St. The project replaces a small single family home with a new 3-unit building, achieving the maximum density permitted and bringing much needed housing to this desirable area of San Francisco. The building consists of a ground floor garden unit with 3 bedrooms, optimized for an urban family, a single-level middle unit with 2 bedrooms and a walk-out terrace with views of the skyline and a two-story 4-bedroom upper unit with a reverse floorplan, positioning the kitchen/living/dining under the dramatic vaulted gable roofline.
As a corner site, this building was designed to be seen in the round and to be appreciated at the slow pace of the pedestrian as well as the faster speed of the car. Its form riffs off the gabled Edwardian across the street in order to form twin columns at the gateway between Noe Valley and the Mission. An echo through time. The materials include heat-treated silver-grey wood siding, a standing seam metal roof, a mid level in black siding, recessed to allow the upper volume to float, and a basalt stone base. The light airy interiors are customized to the needs of each unit. This is truly boutique multifamily.
As contemporary architects, we can sometimes see the good ideas even within bad buildings. This project re-imagines one of the 1960s apartment blocks found throughout Oakland. The building was weathered and suffered from some poor decisions over the years, but under it all we saw an architectural logic that was not that far off what we would try to achieve today. With select changes, we sought to bring that logic forward and to upgrade the feel of the façade, lobby, stairwell and corridors.
Tucked into the canyons of the tall buildings of downtown San Francisco, a vertical addition to a small commercial building will rise, adding layers of housing above the existing structure. The new layers are differentiated by a reveal and a change in material. The design features peeling and angled windows capturing views down the streets, between the buildings while affording privacy to the new residents.
SEQUENCE
The experience of architecture is generally a dynamic one rather than a static one. We move through spaces, understanding them in motion, in relation to each other. Architecture is more like a film and less like a photograph. Knowing this, the sequence of spaces is very important, both functionally and poetically. That is experienced first, second, third? Is there both a formal (guest) experience of arrival and an informal (family) experience? How does the architecture affect our small daily rituals like getting up in the morning or sitting down to dinner? We work with our clients to understand and develop these narratives and make architecture around them.
SEQUENCE
The experience of architecture is generally a dynamic one rather than a static one. We move through spaces, understanding them in motion, in relation to each other. Architecture is more like a film and less like a photograph. Knowing this, the sequence of spaces is very important, both functionally and poetically. That is experienced first, second, third? Is there both a formal (guest) experience of arrival and an informal (family) experience? How does the architecture affect our small daily rituals like getting up in the morning or sitting down to dinner? We work with our clients to understand and develop these narratives and make architecture around them.
This urban infill project on the developing South Van Ness residential corridor in the Mission district in San Francisco is a success story in collaboration with neighborhood groups and stakeholders. Designed and programed to fit the neighborhood, this building provides a range of unit types for families as well as younger and older households. The exterior breaks down the 50’ lot width into residential scale vertical volumes and features durable and timeless materials such as brick and painted siding. Divided lite windows reference the traditional homes in the area while bringing a contemporary feel. WGA was the Design Architect. Building Permits and some renderings here by Kotas/Pantaleoni Architect.
Oakland’s warehouse districts are witnessing an influx of new life with the rehabilitation of old structures and new residential developments such as this 134 unit, 7 story project. The design recall the industrial history of the neighborhood with the appearance of a rugged concrete frame and metal sash windows, yet its lush courtyard creates a private oasis. The development is planned with a variety of unit types/sizes and amenities including a double-height lobby, clubhouse, gym, meeting rooms and a roof terrace. The ground floor features two commercial spaces. Type 3 over concrete podium construction. Developed for Mill Creek Residential Trust.
This multifamily project is located adjacent to the burgeoning Uptown district in Oakland. Using the State Density Bonus and Oakland’s local bonus program, we have increased the project density from 44 units to 53 units, taking advantage of the through lot condition and lateral views from the side of the parcel. The building is 6 stories in height, with 5 levels of Type 3 wood construction over one tall level of Type 1 concrete construction. The project includes a ground floor retail space and parking with a car stacker system. A common clubhouse amenity is planned for the top floor, with substantial outdoor spaces and small moments such as work-from-home alcoves. The design concept imagines the building as a block of solid white mass that is carved away to reveal a panelize system below that ombre fades from lighter blue at the base to darker at the top, like the evening sky.
This mixed use development includes ground floor commercial, parking and three residential loft-style units. The residential space is sliced vertically rather than horizontally, with each unit reaching up into the light, looking out across the adjacent rooftops. Located in a rapidly changing corner of the Mission District, the building re-imagines the rhythm and materials of San Francisco low-rise housing, featuring elements such as corrugated copper and frameless glass corners. Collaboration: Kennerly/Strong Design.
GEOMETRY
Geometry can help to organize and inspire architecture. We believe in using a subtle touch when it comes to geometry though. Repeated strong forms like the square or the circle can get heavy-handed very quickly. Geometry is best when it is well buried within the architecture, read at a subconscious level by its users. Still, the resonant presence of true geometries can almost always be felt and elevates our experience of architecture. Some of the geometric and compositional elements we use are axis, symmetry, balance, rhythm, the golden section and repeating proportions.
GEOMETRY
Geometry can help to organize and inspire architecture. We believe in using a subtle touch when it comes to geometry though. Repeated strong forms like the square or the circle can get heavy-handed very quickly. Geometry is best when it is well buried within the architecture, read at a subconscious level by its users. Still, the resonant presence of true geometries can almost always be felt and elevates our experience of architecture. Some of the geometric and compositional elements we use are axis, symmetry, balance, rhythm, the golden section and repeating proportions.
Oakland’s warehouse districts are witnessing an influx of new life with the rehabilitation of old structures and new residential developments such as this two tower 96 unit, 9 story project. The design recall the industrial history of the neighborhood with cast concrete walls and metal sash windows, yet its lush courtyard creates a private oasis. The development is planned with a variety of unit types/sizes and has green features such as solar heating of radiant in-floor heating. The ground floor features commercial space.
Vacant for years, this former rooming house in the now trendy Hayes Valley was revamped as 19 highly efficient studio apartments suitable for young professionals and an urban lifestyle. The classic wood-framed Edwardian building was seismically upgraded and updated throughout including the ground floor retail spaces. Exterior color was used to overlay a playful modern sensibility onto the traditional forms, with striping, pattern and tone carried through the inside as well. The building has become a landmark for the neighborhood.
2805 Park Blvd is a multifamily project developed on an upslope corner lot in a mature neighborhood in Oakland. The units are designed as large family-sized homes with private outdoor spaces. The exterior concept creates a playful checkerboard of volumes with a prominent two-story jewel at the corner. The site planning takes advantage of the upslope lot and corner condition to bring parking in off the side street while maintaining a lobby and common space along Park Blvd.
The reimagining and rehabilitation of a 1980s mixed used development in the center of San Francisco, this project includes the development of new roof terraces, new residential and commercial lobbies, reworking all the residential units and the rebranding of the whole building into a true lifestyle property.
South of Market is full of two and three story concrete warehouse buildings. As the Planning Department up-zones this neighborhood, the possibility of adding on to these buildings exists. This project explores the juxtaposition of the new and the old, adding two stories of pitched-roof residential space above the three stories of office and commercial. The project is inspired by the way these new pop-up additions can be seen across the roofscape of SOMA. We designed the addition as a pixilated cloud seen against the sky.
