8th + Howard/SOMA Studios Affordable Housing, Apartments, Shop, SROs
San Francisco, California

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The "ear" fronts the studio courtyard and encloses the community room.

Corner view: 8th + Howard streets.

The city corner comes alive with 8th + Howard/SOMA Studios' undulating edge, bright geometric mural, bustling corner market, and hand-crafted glass and steel gate. An eclectic mix of artists, immigrants, veterans, and young people have made these 162 units of affordable housing their home in San Francisco.

Bike tour participants check out the studio courtyard.

8th Street elevation featuring geometric mural.

Unbundled parking frees up space for a child-care center and 19,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail, including an organic market. The building is visually rich, with a modern patchwork mural punctuated by long windows on one side, a sinuous wall creating curving rooms on the other. The careful, yet playful, design allows for a depth of detail uncommon in affordable housing.

Family courtyard on the apartment side of the complex.

This five-story complex is divided in two: The studio side houses modern single-occupancy studios with private baths; the family side features affordable family apartments. Both sides enjoy private courtyards and a wealth of community services.

Podium level plan.

Ground level plan.

Garden entry provides a chance to decompress from the gritty urban neighborhood.

The gap in the urban edge provides a view into the softer interior open space, sharing it with the civic whole. Entrances to the housing are through semipublic landscaped courtyards that also serve as outdoor green space for public functions.

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awards

Excellence in Architecture: Merit Award
American Institute of Architects
Design Merit Award: Affordable
Residential Architect
Housing Committee Award: Multifamily Housing
American Institute of Architects
Builder's Choice Merit Award
Builder's Magazine
Gold Nugget Merit Award
Pacific Coast Builder's Conference
Best Residential San Francisco - Affordable
San Francisco Business Times

publications

A SOMA Complex

endorsed by:

Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation

Citizens Housing Corporation

project details

Associate Architect

I.A. Gonzales Architects

Architect

David Baker + Partners

Landscape Architect

Adrienne Wong Associates

Structural Engineer

Faye Bernstein + Associates

Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer

Tommy Siu + Associates

Electrical Engineer

Pete O. Lapid + Associates

Color Consultant

Shift Design Studio

Model Unit Interior Design