Architectural Collage

The KLOFTS, an affordable housing project, was designed with a participatory design process creating positive connections between and among residents, community stakeholders, local government officials and civic group. The design outcome provides a building and public and private spaces that enhance human scale and further promote social interaction, shared use of space, defensible space to help revitalize this deteriorating community while at the same time enhancing the community’s physical fabric. The project was built at a cost of $82/SF and utilized no governmental subsidy.

KLOFTS is a collection of simplistic architectural forms collaged to create a nine unit loft building on a nine thousand square foot urban property in Golden Hill area of Downtown, San Diego. The former Circle K convenience store and gas station was saved and integrated into the new design to minimize the deconstruction and make adaptive reuse of the existing building. The modern building integrates urban living environments for a mixture of very low income (50% of median income) affordable and market rate rental units with each unit containing large private outdoor spaces and oversize glazing. The sustainable project provides 50% renewable electricity and a unit set aside for very low-income families. The architect/developer worked closely with the community for nine months to ensure a project that is well received by the neighborhood and provides much needed affordable housing in San Diego.