Project Description
Affordable Housing / Merit
The judges admired the social nature of this 32-unit affordable housing community in San Francisco. “It looks wonderful to walk through these spaces to your unit and say hello to everyone,” one juror said. Architecture firm David Baker + Partners designed the project for first-time home buyers with an income of 70 to 100 percent of the local median family income.
The firm placed the project’s flats and townhouses around a main courtyard, enabling outdoor circulation and cross-ventilation for every unit. “It’s just a modest project, which we tried to make really nice,” says principal David Baker, FAIA, LEED AP. Crisp metal trim outlines the fiber-cement siding that clads the exterior walls, while touches of copper and ipe add depth and texture to prominent spots such as the main entry and a corner bay. The common areas, too, show creativity and flair: landscape architect David Fletcher modeled the courtyard’s curvy planter after the shape of Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang and Jaguar guitars. —Meghan Drueding