OCTAVIA STREET INFILL
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
THE 2 SITES WERE PART OF THE EXCESS PARCELS LEFT AFTER THE DEMO OF THE CENTRAL FREEWAY IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ARE LOCATED ON OCTAVIA STREET BETWEEN PAGE AND OAK. THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN WAS GENERATED BY THE DENSITY REQUIRED TO DEVELOP THE SITE, THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD, AND THE CONFLUENCE OF LIGHT, AIR, SAFETY AND THE INTERACTION OF THE ULTIMATE USERS. THE EMPHASIS WAS ON OUTDOOR GREEN AREAS AND THE ANIMATION OF THE EXTERIOR FAÇADE WITH A RICHNESS OF MATERIALS AND COLOR AND A CONSTRUCTION METHOD OF PRODUCING SMALL, AFFORDABLE SPACES
THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT PROVIDING AFFORDABLE LIVING SPACES AND CREATING A COMMUNITY BY USING A MANUFACTURED HOUSING MODULE THAT PLUGS INTO AN ON-SITE STRUCTURAL GRID WITH COMMUNITY AMENITIES. HOME USUALLY MEANT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES BUT TO HOUSE PEOPLE IN FUTURE URBAN CONTEXTS, DENSITY AND INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION IS THE FUTURE.
WE CHOSE A LOW TO MID-RISE HEIGHT FOR THE SCALE AND THE MASSING POSSIBILITIES. INFILL SITES USUALLY LACK SETBACKS, SO THE PROJECT DESIGN FILLED THE SITE TO MAXIMIZE RESIDENTIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE. TO COMPENSATE FOR DIMINISHED OPEN SPACE AT THE GROUND LEVEL, THE ROOF HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS AN OUTDOOR PATIO AND ROOF GARDEN AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE. ABOVE THIS ROOF GARDEN IS A SHADING DEVICE THAT HOLDS BOTH SOLAR THERMAL AND ELECTRIC PANELS AS WELL AS A RAINWATER CAPTURE SYSTEM RUNNING THE LENGTH OF THE ROOF.
INSTEAD OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL, THE STREET LEVEL SPACES ARE FOR COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, CHILDCARE & EXHIBITION AND ART STUDIOS FOR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY USE. PARKLETS, SIDEWALK SEATING & PREFERRED PARKING FOR FOOD TRUCKS ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY TO INTERACT. THESE SPACES ARE SMALL IN COMPARISON TO OTHER BLOCKS AND LEND AN INTIMATE SCALE AND INTERACTION COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SMALL BALCONIES ARE PROVIDED ALONGSIDE THE GLASS-WALLED LIVING AREAS SO THEY ARE LIGHT-FILLED WITH VISUAL ACCESS TO VIEW CORRIDORS. THESE TERRACES PROVIDE PRIVATE SHELTERED AREAS AND ACCESSIBILITY FROM THE LIVING AREAS. THE VERTICAL GARDEN WALLS GIVE EACH RESIDENCE PRIVACY FROM THE ADJACENT NEIGHBOR.
EACH BUILDING IS BROKEN INTO VERTICAL PROJECTIONS WITH A PRONOUNCED DIVISION OF GLASS BAYS WITH A CLEAR BASE, MIDDLE, AND TOP AS DEFINED BY THE ROOFTOP GARDEN. THE UNITS ARE ARTICULATED WITH WINDOWS, PROJECTIONS, AND BALCONIES. ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS CREATE SHADOWS AND DEFINING PROFILES.
SINCE SIZE OF SPACES CAN DICTATE MONTHLY RENTAL COSTS OR PURCHASE PRICES, THE DESIGN SCALED DOWN THE LIVING SIZE TO A 500 SQ.FT STUDIO AND A 1,000 SQ.FT. ONE-BEDROOM. EACH HAS KITCHENS, BATH, STORAGE, BALCONY AND ROOF ACCESS WHILE MAKING THE PROJECT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE. TO ENHANCE ANY IN-FILL SITE, GREEN AREAS WERE DEVELOPED AS VERTICAL WALLS FOR BOTH SHADING, MATERIAL RICHNESS, AND TO SOFTEN THE EXTERIOR WITH GREENERY CONNECTED TO EACH UNIT. THE SAME CONCEPT WOULD ALSO CONFIGURE AS TWO OR THREE BEDROOM RESIDENCES.
