ODD! Lots

There are more than 1,000 vacant residential lots in San Francisco, an odd finding given the City’s struggle to provide adequate housing. While many of these lots are rendered un-buildable by topography, a significant subset could be developed in spite of, or perhaps because of, their unusual character.

The following three designs each leverage the vacant lot to realize a creative home reflective of its site’s unique shape, topography, and context within the city of San Francisco. They are an extreme example of site-specific architecture, reflective of not only their surrounding neighborhood, but conceived in such a way that they could not reside anywhere else.

on the boards

LOCATION
San Francisco, CA

SCOPE
Concept Design
Architecture
Interior Design
Furniture Planning + Selection

RENDERINGS
Blitz

Little Crescent

A relaxed, informal, warm design complements the funky shape.

Sited near Ocean Avenue in the Ingleside neighborhood, this loft reflects the informal character of its surroundings. Designed as a starter home for a young couple, the plan is open and informal, translating the site’s unique footprint into a funky volume. The entry is defined by a two-story interior light well, anchoring the warm living-dining-kitchen space, and hosting an open stair that leads to the lower level snug and bedroom.

Proud Triangle

Cool, contemporary townhomes are flooded with natural light and make the most of the available building height.

At the intersection of the Mission and Bernal Heights, this contemporary home connects the materiality of the adjacent church with the formal language of the surrounding, Victorian bay windows. These neighborly intentions are expressed in an extroverted yet minimal aesthetic that is comfortable with the reality of its newness in contrast to its historic surroundings. Designed for a family of four, two units are contained within: a three-bedroom, three-bath family home, and a single bedroom in-law/ income unit.

Sophisticated and refined, these two units maximize their open concept and feature warm, varied finishes.

This sophisticated building confidently claims a prominent corner in Pacific Heights. Perforated screens mediate privacy for bedroom and bathrooms, while full-height windows provide views and daylight to the common spaces. Within refined, warm interiors define two units, a 1/1 and a 3/3, each with private outdoor space.