2802 Pico Housing, Community Corporation of Santa Monica
This project provides 100% affordable housing at the corner of Pico Boulevard and 28th Street for the nonprofit organization Community Corporation of Santa Monica. This mixed-use urban project accommodates 33 units above active retail and community space organized around an engaging courtyard. The project strives to contribute to the life of its residents, neighbors and the City, by providing a pedestrian-friendly urban façade to enliven the corner of Pico and 28th Street.
The building is configured as an ensemble of stepped volumes ranging from two to four floors. A break in the urban façade on the north provides pedestrian access and engages the interior courtyard with the street life along Pico. On the 28th Street façade, a two-story volume accommodating a community room helps to break down the mass of the building and allows the ocean breeze to create naturally ventilated spaces. The architectural design emphasizes economy by using a layering approach of projected and recessed planes, with the ground floor expressed as a strong base. The walls are punched with a pattern of windows articulated as vertical, horizontal or wrapped openings. The simple palette of materials includes multicolored cement board panels.
The courtyard optimizes social interaction and incorporates a playful array of bridges, walkways and stairs. Aligned with the entrance from Pico Boulevard, a social hub is created at the heart of the courtyard surrounded by the community room, laundry, main stairs and elevator that surround a children’s play area.