Project Description
Vida is located in San Francisco’s Mission District, a dense urban environment that is undergoing tremendous change. To best use the site, advantage was taken of the adjacent historic marquee from the New Mission Theater as a welcoming gesture. This became a win-win situation whereby the theater was renovated to accommodate a 21st century entertainment venue, while Vida was able to play off the marquee’s strong architectural element and create a sense of place. Replacing a big-box retail store and surface parking, the new building features a distinctive streetscape through a colorful and dynamic façade that contributes to the vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. With creative planning and an efficient layout, we provided 114 new dwelling units and 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Amenities such as rooftop lounge areas were designed with the prospective resident profile in mind: young urban professionals who seek a wildly diversified neighborhood with easy access to transit, jobs, cultural opportunities, and hip restaurants and clubs. Challenges during the design process included responding to community concerns about gentrification. We were able to mitigate those concerns by a series of listening sessions and inclusion on the design team of local, knowledgeable professionals, creating a project that was accepted by community leaders and embraced by buyers. Vida’s innovation comes from its engagement to, and enhancement of, the urban fabric. Parking, created with mechanized stackers, is located entirely underground to reduce its visibility from the adjacent streetscape. Vida is a model of how housing in San Francisco might be designed to meet ongoing demand.