San Francisco, CA

555 Golden Gate Ave is a mid-block site which connects to Redwood Aly. On one side is the new PUC building, on the other an older building. Stars Restaurant once occupied the site.
Our proposal is to provide and open walk from golden Gate Ave to Redwood Aly at grade, with a garden to commemorate Stars, and entrances to the lobby and parking. Above are 10 levels of housing arranged in a U shape around a central court which provides light access to the property line windows of the new PUC Building. Six units per floor are arranged around this court. Each unit is organized with a central service pod with a kitchen opening to the open living zone on one side, and bathrooms connected to bedrooms on the other.
Both the Golden Gate and Redwood Aly facades are articulated with alternating bay windows and balconies, creating a vertical version of traditional crenelated San Francisco architecture. The glazing on the outer face is lined with white Clearshade Honeycomb, providing shading, privacy, and a contemporary glazed version of white architecture so typical in the city.