| The design of this Single Room Occupancy complex conceptualizes the “De Stijl” art movement into architecture, intermixing primary colors with distinctive forms and industrial materials. In a region where entry-level housing is an economic challenge, the project provides very well-designed housing to low-income residents.
The 275-unit residential complex incorporates primary colors – inspired from its urban, transit-oriented home and neighboring structures – while the architecture highlights extruded geometric forms. Yellow indicates entry points in the building, taking its cues from punchy street lines. Blue highlights dominate corner pieces, representing transit and neighboring buildings. Red acts as a connector to unify the parts, also identifying nearby transit opportunities – the trolley and MTS bus hub. These large colored sections are balanced by different-colored plaster – black, a nod to the streets and parking areas and white, the buses – and corrugated metal siding to give the complex an industrial flare.
As a design and programming requirement, the challenging site had to be constructed to the allowable maximum density from property line to property line. To relieve this development goal, the exterior facades were articulated with allowable projections such as balconies, cantilevered roof and awning elements and signage.
Inside the building, a structural art wall welcomes residents into a simple, yet refined lobby. The wall is mimicked at the end of the first corridor with a stained-glass window creating a diffused glow of color. Amenities include a media lounge, café, theater-style movie room and large laundry facility.
Residences are organized around a private interior courtyard that doubles as a centralized community hub and an event space. Here, sculptural “paint brushes” sit on a carpet of primary colors – indicative of the building painted with patterns of a series of Mondrian murals joined together. |
