Design of this transit-oriented development (LEED platinum), completed in 2022, rethinks the bland and boxy US mid rise housing paradigm from street to rooftop. Named for its 1-acre rooftop garden, The Park offers housing that provides residents and neighbors with a variety of community spaces derived through a sustainable and informal massing strategy. Cross grain garden courtyards break the 249 housing units into four buildings to optimize daylight, views, and ocean breezes and create a neighborly and green connection to the street where a string of varied public spaces replace the expected corner plaza. This approach challenged and changed planning guidelines which in turn catalyzed new development strategies.

Wellbeing and community underpin the project at multiple scales. At the urban scale, the building's projecting and recessed balconies, which line the street and courtyard plazas, facilitate interaction between passers by and residents. Open air bridges offer more opportunity to see and be seen. Facade and unit design is organized to balance privacy, orientation and views. North facing elevations are faceted to provide apartments with long corner views; on the south, horizontal awnings and exterior movable louvers overlay texture and rhythm as they shade glass and filter views between units. The large rooftop park promotes wellness and community for residents with a variety of spaces geared for larger gatherings and activities as well as smaller group settings and getaway spots for individual use. At street level retail was designed to attract neighborhood serving businesses and encourage lingering in public plazas. A popular grocery store draws both residents and commuters heading to and from the light rail station.

The project funded the construction of 64 units of very low income family housing, also LEED Platinum, on a nearby site.

The Park achieved LEED Platinum using both passive and active environmental strategies, many of which contribute to the project’s distinctive expression.The modulation strategies of the facade create a ‘soft edge’ to the building that capture views, add shade, and offer varying degrees of privacy. A series of open courtyards break up the streetwall massing to optimize daylight and prevailing ocean breezes. All apartments have operable windows and moveable sunscreens where exposure is a concern, and the building has a high albedo roof to reduce heat island effects. A horizontal awning provides solar protection for windows with southern exposure. A 100.6kW PV array shades the rooftop while it provides energy-use for common areas. Less visible strategies include a water conservation system that uses municipal recycled water systems for both toilet flushing and irrigation. High-efficiency HVAC, low-wattage LED lighting, Energy-Star appliances, high performance glazing, motion and daylight sensors, and well-insulated exterior walls reduce energy consumption. A Solar Thermal System reduces hot water energy needs by 66%. The prefabricated steel structural system conXtech reduced construction time by 3 months and was instrumental in cost-effectively achieving the form as well as facilitating flexible unit planning that builds in long term adaptability.

Photography by Eric Staudenmaier