| The Mediterranean-style development consists of a three-story, on-grade, 20-unit apartment building with 10 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units. Nineteen of the units provide affordable permanent supportive housing for families transitioning out of homelessness; the 20th two-bedroom unit is for the manager. The building includes laundry, rental office and recreation rooms. Twenty-one parking spaces are provided in an on-grade enclosed podium structure.
The sponsors, National CORE and Union Station Foundation, had previously explored several alternatives for this site, including a larger 24-unit development that would have compelled state-mandated Density Bonus Incentives and concessions. Instead, the proposal sought to minimize the building mass while keeping the project financially feasible at 20 units. This is accomplished via a variance to reduce the required number of parking stalls to appropriate levels for these residents and avoid subterranean parking.
The building is oriented around a central recreational courtyard. Amenities include a community room with kitchen and direct access to the protected and accessible garden; an office for supportive services; laundry room; and trash/recycling rooms on each floor, and easy access to an on-grade parking structure.
Taking full advantage of the mild Southern California climate, private patios and 30 SF balconies are provided for each unit. Planter gardens around the perimeter provide a serene yet secure environment.
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| Narrative Sustainable Design
The building design is the logical functional outcome of applying the allowable density into the limited envelope of buildable area permitted by the form-based codes.
• The vehicle entrance is placed at the lowest (south / Union Avenue) end of the site to maximize the headroom in the garage for accessible parking, and to keep the vehicle traffic away from the existing single-family residences. The driveway is placed farthest west to enable traffic safety and maintain an aesthetic street corner presence.
• The double-loaded aisle garage is the most efficient shape for the required amount of parking in a non-subterranean layout, to make the affordable housing economically viable. This puts the garage in the rear (west) portion of the site. Apartments are placed on a podium over the garage, hereafter called the west wing; and in a second wing that parallels Mar Vista, called the east wing. Internal circulation among both wings is accomplished via a U-shaped double-loaded corridor. An elevator and laundry facilities are conveniently located at the center of the U. The corridors in the wings are oriented in a north-south axis, and the apartment exterior windows and balconies face east and west, toward the streets, internal courtyard or neighboring high density residential. There are minimal north-facing windows for privacy with the single-family residences to the north.
• The primary entrance for the structure is at a lobby at the street corner, which lends prominence to the visitor’s entrance, and is a security node for the public / semi-public/ semi-private spaces on the first floor.
• Featured exterior stair elements with a playful rhythm both of plaster walls and wrought iron handrails with colored deck coating landings and treads simulating terracotta paving at either end of the U-shaped circulation corridor that connect to the exterior courtyard areas and common lobby spaces.
Energy Efficiency Achievements and Sustainable Strategies
• Parking requirements have been right-sized to the residents’ needs, avoiding unnecessary subterranean construction and maximizing opportunities for passive ventilation of the garage.
• Balconies and patio doors allow for outdoor usage and enhanced natural ventilation of the units
• Shared party walls and center-loaded corridors minimize exterior surface of the building, thus minimizing heat gain/loss.
• Shading devices such as large overhangs, awnings, and deep recessed openings help control solar heat gain in the summer.
• In providing permanent supportive housing, the development reduces the environmental impact of residents who would otherwise be living on the streets, resulting in cleaner air, stormwater, etc. for the region.
• The project features a solar hot water central boiler system with Solar PV rooftop mounted panels with solar fraction.
Site + Urban Sensitivity
• Courtyard orientation, thoughtful massing, and careful detailing are a direct response to the “City of Gardens” ordinance that is unique in the multifamily design standards. Fitting into the residential neighborhood, breaking up the scale of the building at the corner, and meeting the “City of Gardens” zoning requirements on a compact corner site.
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