T R A N S I T I O N                                       RR Spur Blocks

New Construction, 5 townhomes:

8,000 sf, Emeryville, CA

Right beside an active, industrial rail spur a narrow, blighted corner lot sat empty for years, exceeding most developers’ threshold for risk.  Working with a longtime client we designed 5 new, 3 story live/work townhomes as a transition between the residential and industrial communities they bordered. The units are treated as alternating stucco and metal clad blocks assembled into a compound around an outdoor courtyard, all protected by thick walls facing the rail line. High studio windows gather western and northern light and allow for cross ventilation at every unit. A fountain turns the courtyard into a common area foyer for each front door.  Formally the project provides a massing scaled to single family dwellings on the east side and exterior finishes that relate to the industrial facilities on the west.