P R O G R E S S I V E                                             Ocean 5

New Construction, 5 solar townhomes

  8,000 sf, Emeryville, CA

A narrow lot adjacent to the RR Spur blocks offers further definition to the moment of transition between a neighborhood of single-family detached homes and larger scale housing developments replacing industrial properties to the west. Our response is a design for 5 townhomes, staggered to provide views to all, and rising progressively as a singular shed-roof plane, from south to north, to provide photovoltaic panel exposure for each unit.  Each home has 3 bedrooms, 2-story high ground-floor living space overlooking gardens, and skylights for daylighting and night ventilation. Balconies protected by shade trellis walls cantilever towards the East Bay Hills, while sunshaded, double height windows at the west take in end-of-day light.  The result is a passive solar project that relates to the smaller residential scale at the street and rises to meet the higher building volumes at its northern end.