SWITCH
Piedmont, CA
A DEVELOPMENT STUDY FOR FLEXIBLE INFILL HOUSING
The project site occupies a prominent location along Piedmont Avenue, the city’s main retail street, and consists of a two-story mixed-use structure - a bar occupies the ground floor, with two single-bedroom apartments on the second level. Years of deferred maintenance have left the building in need of significant rehabilitation, prompting a comprehensive reassessment of the property's potential.
The area is an odd mix of lower and much higher densities, prompting a discussion of what a viable and sustainable growth pattern for this area might be and how the project might anticipate this, striking a balance between the existing context and a potential future.
The approach the client chose to take started with a ground level that would improve the connection to the street and cater to a variety of retail and food tenants. It also increased density through vertical expansion, with initial studies adding two additional floors of residential units.
EXISTING CONDITION - 2 1 BED UNITS OVER RETAIL
2 STORY ADDITION ADDS 4 X 1 BED UNITS
UNITS CAN SWITCH BETWEEN 1 OR 3 BED UNITS THROUGH MINOR ALTERATIONS TO THE PLAN
SIMPLE ELEMENTS AND PLANNING ALLOW FOR A RECONFIGURATION OF UNITS OVER TIME.
The architectural strategy we took toward this expansion, emphasizes long-term adaptability and durability to promote resilience. By incorporating flexible spatial arrangements and understated yet robust materials, the design begins to anticipate an array of future use patterns and market demands. This approach aims to extend the building's functional lifespan, minimizing future resource consumption and carbon impacts.
1 BEDROOM CONFIGURATION
3 BED CONFIGURATION (2BD + OFFICE)
THE CENTRAL STAIR
An important discovery was the potential benefit of maintaining and expanding the existing central stair that provided access to the upper-level units. It serves as both a functional circulation element and a spatial organizing device, enabling multiple unit configurations across the floor plate, accommodating various programming scenarios:
Divided floor plates supporting two independent one-bedroom units
Consolidated three-bedroom units with home office potential
Vertically connected units, supporting multi-generational living arrangements or small intentional communities.
