Brunson Terrace

2024 Design Awards Merit Recipient

This totally electric “Net Zero” 100% affordable housing project is certified LEED Gold and has an astounding pEUI of 6.6, more than 8x more efficient than typical similar buildings who average 59 pEUI.

Offering shelter and comfort, 1819 Pico eschews the typical neighborhood defensive apartment buildings with solid walls and fences in favor of a carved-out cube, a beacon in the neighborhood that celebrates social space by de-emphasizing private space. Strategically placed windows, purposeful exterior circulation and units that wrap the outer-most edges, orient the 48 apartments to social spaces that are spatially apart, yet visually connected to each other and the street below.

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LEED platinum and Net Zero affordable housing is exactly what we need out in the world. The breaking down of the facade gives layering to what was a large street-facing facade. The straightforwardness—the materials that were used, designed for durability at quality and low maintenance—are great qualities to have in a housing project.

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Measure 1: Design for Integration

Located on the edge of the very popular and trendy Santa Monica Pico neighborhood, the project affords access to important community amenities to an extremely popular and pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Because it is family affordable housing, the project affords equal access for a very low-income tenant population who would otherwise not be able to afford to live in this community.

Offering shelter and comfort, Rose Apartments eschews the typical neighborhood defensive apartment buildings with solid walls and fences in favor of a carved-out cube, a beacon in the neighborhood that celebrates social space by de-emphasizing private space. The central feature of the design is an immersive courtyard that mediates between the urban environment and intimacy of the residences. Open to Pico Blvd from the second level but retreated through a series of cascading planters, the courtyard offers residents multiple outdoor gathering spaces and increased privacy, while still reciprocating with the neighborhood around it. Capped by the planted terraces on the upper levels, the courtyard establishes a “picture-frame” that provides views, ample natural light and breezes, and the creation of a sense of place.

Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities

This project included four public community meetings, two meetings with the city council and a host of small group meetings with various community groups and stakeholders. It was a rigorous process that included many modifications to the design to get the necessary approvals to construct the project. Thru community workshops a neighborhood non-profit market and food incubator space was added to the ground floor along the street across from Santa Monica College.

Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems

The project’s location is urban and the previous site was one large 100% impermeable surface lot with a small single story Church building. ‘Flow-through’ planters which act like swales. It incorporates more planting than most urban buildings. Drought tolerant plants and gravel provide storm water retention and habitats for animals. All impermeable surfaces are directed to the ‘flow-through’ infiltration planters and all exterior lights are shielded.

Measure 4: Design for Water

A Stormwater Management Plan was implemented to promote infiltration, capture and treat stormwater runoff from 90% of the average annual rainfall, using best management practices. Brunson Terrace has been designed such that over 30% of the site consists of vegetative landscaping or permeable surfaces. Impermeable surfaces are directed to on-site infiltration planters, which retain and clean storm water. This results in a site in which over 100% of the surfaces capture storm water in some way. Water savings of approx. 38% above average.

Measure 5: Design for Economy

We prioritized both first and long-term costs for our non-profit client due to the tight budgets of housing and the need to have no or low maintenance costs for the future of the building. The building envelope utilizes low-cost passive strategies to reduce energy use including increased insulation in the walls/roof, natural cross ventilation and a white roof. Framing efficiencies were utilized: prefab detailed cut list and lumber order, open-web floor/roof trusses spaced more than 16″ and panelized construction. Floor plates, building volumes and shear walls stack vertically, reducing cost and construction waste.

Measure 6: Design for Energy

This is an all electric building designed to be over 50% better than California’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency standards. Project includes EV charging, living and green cool roofs, 100% stormwater retention and all energy star appliances.

Measure 7: Design for Well-Being

Good design supports health and well-being for all people, considering physical, mental, and emotional effects on occupants and the surrounding community. The design encourages positive informal social interaction among neighbors, acquaintances, and visitors. By welcoming and bringing together the client, designers, and the community during the design process, it deepened our collective understanding of context, purpose, and unique perspectives to positively influence the human experience throughout the Pico neighborhood communities.

Measure 8: Design for Resources

During construction 99% of waste was diverted from the landfill. Materials were selected for their modest first cost and also their no or low-maintenance qualities. Strategies were developed to address durability issues, air quality issues and moisture control. Major materials have HPD certifications, all materials meet the City of Santa Monica Green Building Code, the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s criteria.

Measure 9: Design for Change

It is designed to last a minimum of 50 years, which runs with the affordability covenants that are required. The design incorporates passive survive-ability. It minimizes vehicular space in favor of living space and provides multiple transportation options: vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and electric vehicle.

Measure 10: Design for Discovery

The project was designed to foster a long-term relationship between the designer, users, and operator to ensure design intentions are realized and the project performance can improve over time and remains easy to maintain. The fundamental basis of the design was meant to promote a sense of discovery and delight. Performance data and experiential stories were shared between the designer and client, even when the findings fell short of the vision. We give tours of our completed buildings to professional organizations (such as the AIA), students, lenders and other interested people to share lessons learned.