HOUSING STUDIO: 30-Unit Mixed Use
With 30 units and community support space, this medium density housing project challenges on many levels, with the choreographing of parking, fire stairs, emergency egress, and adaptability amongst other issues really tests not only one’s problem solving skills, but one’s creativity as well. The site is located on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Vermont Ave, abutting a Metro station. With the additional requirement of a pedestrian thoroughfare bisecting the block, the parcels - and mine in particular as being directly adjacent to both the Metro plaza and a bus stop along Santa Monica - are exposed on all sides to urban fabric. The strategy is designed for two different groups of people: residents and everyone else. The building mass is pushed to the plaza edge, creating urban space and a threshold shielding the private courtyards from the inevitable hustle and bustle.
