Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans – Design for Equitable Communities

2023 DESIGN AWARD RECIPIENT

Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans – Design for Equitable Communities

The opening of the new Southeast Community Center completes SFPUC’s long-standing commitment to San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, which has borne the environmental and social impacts of a wastewater treatment plant located in its midst.

The project provides a community hub in a setting that offers a rich synthesis of architectural design, landscape architecture and public art.

Extensive outreach to over 3,000 local residents helped define desired programs and amenities for the project. Consequently, programs that support workforce development and training are offered. Affordability and inclusivity were essential, and the community has full access to outdoor spaces, lobby, café, and co-working areas, all of which are enriched with public art. A low-cost childcare center for 80 children is available for community use. Multi-purpose spaces, a community pavilion and offices for non-profits can be rented at discounted rates by local residents and organizations that serve the neighborhood.

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This building embraces its mission and encompasses multiple public purposes. There’s clarity in the architecture and the site is beautifully planned.

Noteworthy performance features include:

1. LEED Gold

2. Reused crushed concrete from a demolished building onsite as an aggregate base for hardscape paving.

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Measure 1: Design for Integration

The building’s southwest orientation required the envelope be designed to limit overheating and glare. A balance of transparency and enclosure with a meaningful architectural expression drove the exterior design. The façade concept incorporates pattern and texture inspired by the Gee’s Bend quilts which resonated with the community. The patterns were further informed by energy and daylighting studies to ensure adequate shade and user comfort, while retaining views, and privacy. Not all goals could be achieved by the façade alone, so shades were provided to limit glare at times of low-angle sunlight, and furniture is pulled away from perimeter windows.
Important public entrances are framed with a tall “front porch” that conveys receptivity and a feeling of welcome to visitors, while shading the transparent glass walls of the lobby and community room with a 20’ deep canopy. The free-standing community room allows for separate hours of use from the main center, better serving community needs, reducing staff required, and limiting energy use during off-hours.

Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities

A wide range of needed programs to support workforce development and training are offered at the new center. Affordable community access is ensured by allowing the public full use of the outdoor spaces, lobby, café, and co-working areas, all of which are enriched with public art. A low-cost child care center for 80 children is available for community use. Multi-purpose spaces, the community pavilion and offices for non-profits can be rented at discounted rates by local residents and organizations that serve the local neighborhood.

Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems

The site, which was previously occupied by a largely paved office park, is now transformed with California native landscape. Areas of low-lying green infrastructure are planted with wetland species while open spaces at entrances and plazas use meadow grasses. Zones of California scrub, Mediterranean planting and a woodland palette complement the pathways and building. All plants used are climate-adapted and drought-tolerant except trees in low areas with access to a high groundwater table. Habitat for birds and pollinators is provided with over 200 trees, and 15 tree species.

Measure 4: Design for Water

Rainwater runoff from roofs and hardscape is directed to bioswale gardens and culminates at an on-site wetland where it is stored and treated.
Landscape irrigation exceeds required reductions by using small zones tailored to exact water needs of each area, bubblers for trees to reduce runoff, and watering in the evening to avoid winds that blow water on hardscape. Irrigation piping accepts the anticipated extension of the recycled water system planned for this neighborhood. Indoor potable water use is reduced using efficient low-flow and auto shut-off plumbing fixtures in restrooms.

Measure 5: Design for Economy

A temperate climate allows for extensive use of outdoor rooms, including the “front porch” and exterior amphitheater; reconfigurable multi-purpose rooms maximize usability, stepped seating can be used for meeting or performance and a free-standing community room allows for separate hours of use, reducing staff required, and limiting energy use during off-hours.
As 60 ft piles were required due to poor soils and seismic requirements, foundations accounted for over 20% of total construction cost, further contributing to the already high cost of building in San Francisco.

Measure 6: Design for Energy

Energy consumption is minimized with continuous building insulation at the building envelope, high-performance glazing, cool roof, a variety of shading strategies and an all-electric LEED Gold building design.
Passive design strategies include ceiling-mounted fans and operable windows at main assembly spaces and open offices.
Rooftop solar panels and LED lighting and Energy Star appliances offset the building’s energy usage.
A building management system is employed to monitor energy use, address noticeable deficiencies, and is connected to occupancy sensors.

Measure 7: Design for Well-Being

The design provides balanced natural daylight, with deep overhangs and canopies at the south and west to prevent overheating and to control glare. Operable windows provide natural ventilation and ceiling mounted fans provide thermal comfort at main assembly spaces and open offices.
VRF heat pump systems optimize temperature control by providing localized user-adjustable thermostats for each zone. Larger rooms have multiple zones.
All building finishes are low-VOC as are furniture and fabrics. Extensive hazardous material abatement was completed prior to construction.

Measure 8: Design for Resources

A post construction waste management plan included recycling storage for e-waste and battery collection.
Crushed concrete from on-site demolished buildings is used as an aggregate base for hardscape and asphalt paving. Close to 50% of the total weight of cement in the structural concrete mix is comprised of fly ash slag.
Carpet and resilient flooring from recycled materials is used and locally sourced eucalyptus used in casework, stepped seating and trim work.
FSC certified wood is used at the community room floor, wood doors and acoustic composite wood panels.

Measure 9: Design for Change

In addition to being seismically unsafe, the previous facility’s stepped floor levels made it unadaptable to new uses or ADA compliance. These challenges led to building a new center that embraces flexibility: office suites can be divided or expanded for non-profit tenants; multi-purpose rooms are reconfigurable for programs; community pavilion supports various community activities with full kitchen, furniture, and storage.
As proximity to the bay makes sea-level rise and flooding a concern, the 1st floor is located above 100-year flood zone and stormwater is captured in on-site.

Measure 10: Design for Discovery

Initial feedback points to increased community use. Staff state they “are proud of our workspace and the deeply rooted intentionality of the space, furthering our commitment to the community”.
2 acres open to the public invite discovery with winding paths, adventure playground and informational signs depicting the site’s ecology. Storm water collection is made intentionally visible with roof scuppers leading to open runnels and to an on-site wetland. Local media cited the project’s success during recent historic storms using it as a clear example of stormwater management.