A six week exploration in multi-use low rise building design in the city of Santa Monica, CA. Building shape and elevations were derived through repetitive planar extrusions and the interactions between these extruded volumes. This five story proposed structure would replace an existing vacated one story retail location and would serve to re-inject community life and commerce to a small portion of downtown Santa Monica.

SITE ANALYSIS

The primary goal of 501 Broadway’s site development was to promote energy efficient design principles by exploiting the favorable naturally occurring elemental phenomena, while obstructing negatively occurring elements such as solar heat gains and the dry/hot summer winds. Pedestrian circulation patterns would be of primary focus in order to drive the revitalization of the failed retail aspects of the existing site conditions.

program analysis

By utilizing the existing site data and circulation patterns the individual floor volumes and vertical circulation corridors were derived. The primary focus of the ground floor was to utilize the existing pedestrian circulation patterns to maximize retail interaction while also creating four side access for residents to the upper floor levels. The primary centralized vertical circulation would enable residents to access their living space conveniently from all sides of the property, while a secondary access off 5th street would serve as a discrete egress location for quick entry and exit. Second through forth floors of the five story structure would serve the one, two, and three bedroom modular suites, while the four penthouse suites, and their top floor common open spaces, were designed to allow for privacy and shared naturally illuminated recreational spaces.

one bedroom floor plan

Two Bedroom floor plan

Three bedroom floor plan

exterior elevations

The aggregation and orientation of the upper four residential levels of the structure were governed by the exterior elevation patterns of extrusion. Suite floor layouts were designed to juxtapose each other through mirroring of their modular design, which would enable the exterior patterns to be derived. Awning and patio extrusions were meant to serve as sun shading elements to reduce solar heat gains while still allowing maximum natural lighting to each unit.