Santa Monica, CA
1996
16-unit Affordable & Market Rate Apartment

As a transitional element within its context, this 16 unit affordable and market rate apartment building has a density of more than 90 units per acre. While continuing to recognize the importance of the street front, this project responds to its context of varied building mass and scale. The building transitions from a large mass to the north to smaller, more articulated spaces to the south. The visual density of the building is mitigated by prominently featuring the living spaces of the upper units, which are rotated to gesture toward the open space and are clad in a lighter, crafted material in response to the neighboring single-family residence.

All sixteen units have qualities that maximize their unique position on the site and within the building. The eight ground floor units have floor to ceiling glass and added ceiling height, which is manipulated and accentuated with recessed lighting. The eight units on the second floor are filled with natural light by means of the four featured living spaces and the volumetric loft spaces.