MISSION: HOUSING

Preserving The Historic While Building For The Future

San Francisco is currently experiencing a growing housing crisis that threatens its residents; by 2030, the city’s population is estimated to increase by 150,000 people while adding only 9,000 new dwelling units. Low-income residents are vulnerable targets for displacement, while historic buildings are under constant threat of demolition due to neglect or new construction.

Mission: Housing showcases laminated veneer lumber construction as a tool for alternative development, providing affordable housing in the heart of the city. The proposed building’s form is sculpted in reaction to its context through tapering and shearing. The resultant massing is sensitive to the life of the street while increasing density. The skin system references Churrigueresque patterning, yet expands and shifts across its height to reveal lush gardens and an expanding array of delicate canopies. The original light well is extruded, allowing passive ventilation and natural lighting throughout the core. Communal spaces are provided for urban agriculture, irrigated via in-house greywater purification. This embedded horticulture purifies the air inside the building, provides nourishment for inhabitants, and strengthens San Francisco’s tradition of civic parks.

Until now, urban growth has been obstructed by the false dichotomy between preservation and progress, but this is no longer the case. The innovative variety of laminated veneer lumber technologies facilitates our strong and diversified strategy for sustainable evolution which can strengthen and mature the fabric of the city.

Architectural Design:

DLR Group | Kwan Henmi

Jose Alexandro Brunner

Amelie-Phaine Crowe

Peter Hess

Catherine Meng

Takara Tada

Osma Dossani Thompson

Structural Design:

DCI Engineers

Vanessa Acon

Joey Benassini

Dean Lewis

Sumandeep Singh

Building Ecologies

GREEN ROOF

THE GREEN ROOF HELPS TO CLEAN AND FILTRATE THE RAINWATER, WHILE REDUCING HEAT GAINS TO THE BUILDING.

RAINWATER COLLECTION

RAINWATER IS CAPTURED, FILTERED, THEN RE-USED FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION.

GREYWATER RECYCLING

GREYWATER IS COLLECTED AND TREATED ON SITE. RECYCLED WATER IS STORED AND USED FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION AND TOILET FLUSHING.

SUN SHADING

EXTRUDED FACADE FINS PROVIDE SUN SHADING WHILE STILL ALLOWING DIRECT SUNLIGHT INTO THE HOUSING UNITS.

NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

THE FACADE SYSTEM ALLOWS FRESH AIR AND NATURAL LIGHT INTO THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING. PLANTINGS AT THE TRELLIS IMPROVES THE AIR QUALITY.

A VERTICAL FARM AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING CONNECTS

PUBLIC ART

INTERIOR SURFACES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO PERSONALIZE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, ADDING TO THE EXISTING VIBRANT STREET MURALS OF THE MISSION DISTRICT.

NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

THE FACADE SYSTEM ALLOWS FRESH AIR AND NATURAL LIGHT INTO THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING. PLANTINGS AT THE TRELLIS IMPROVES THE AIR QUALITY.

URBAN AGRICULTURE

A VERTICAL FARM AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING CONNECTS RESIDENTS WITH FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY WITH LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE.

CHIMNEY EFFECT

THE CENTRAL ATRIUM PROVIDES PASSIVE VENTILATION THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. OPERABLE LOUVERS AT THE TOP ALLOWS WARM AIR TO ESCAPE.

PUBLIC ART

INTERIOR SURFACES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO PERSONALIZE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, ADDING TO THE EXISTING VIBRANT STREET MURALS OF THE MISSION DISTRICT.

CROSS VENTILATION

SINGLE LOADED CORRIDORS ALLOW FOR CROSS VENTILATION THROUGH THE HOUSING UNITS, PROVIDING NATURAL AIR FLOW AND TEMPERATURE REGULATION

COMMUNITY SPACE

COMMUNITY ROOMS, INCLUDING A DAYCARE AND RECREATION ROOMS, ARE PROVIDED AT THE BASE OF THE BUILDING, AND ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

PUBLIC GREEN SPACE

THE ROOF OF THE EXISTING BUILDING BECOMES A PUBLIC GREEN SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY. PLANTINGS REDUCE HEAT GAINS TO THE BUILDING BELOW.

WATER TREATMENT

BUILDING GREYWATER IS COLLECTED AND TREATED ONSITE, THEN STORED FOR FUTURE USE.