The concept for Octavia Court is guided by the size of the site, its location in an existing residential neighborhood, and its locations at the corner of two heavily traveled streets. The design is organized into two parts: the main housing building which runs along Oak street and the “courts”—two courtyards with their two adjacent Vocational Service spaces. The second floor courtyard takes advantage of morning and afternoon sun, and provides views into the second floor space of the Vocational Services room and the open courtyard below while providing a secluded area for residents to congregate. The “courts” are the heart and soul of the project providing residents with beautiful communal and outdoor spaces.
Facing onto Octavia Blvd, the two story Vocational Space with its front and back glass facades opens up views of the courtyards creating a welcoming street presence for residents, neighbors, pedestrians and artists. To further integrate the building into the neighborhood, dual lobby entrances have been placed on the corners of Oak Street and Octavia Boulevard. The modern exterior design integrates well into the residential context of the Octavia Boulevard neighborhood of nineteenth century residential structures with its use of wood and its articulated façade reminiscent of the pattern of San Francisco bay windows. The taller housing structure on Oak Street creates a strong urban edge and helps to shield the courts from the noise of the traffic while the shorter building, on the “courts” side of the site, transitions to the smaller scale residential development of the neighborhood.
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