The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Housing and Custom Residential Knowledge Community, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), recognized Sierra Bonita Housing in the category of Housing Accessibility (the Alan J. Rothman Award). This award demonstrates that design matters, and the recipient project offers examples of important developments in the housing industry.
“This year’s recipients are shining examples of how the latest innovations in design, materials and building techniques are not just for high-end housing but can also offer lower income families exceptional homes they can actually afford,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.
Gilsanz Murray Steficek served as structural engineer for Sierra Bonita, a 50,000 sq ft five-story mixed-use affordable housing building commissioned by the non-profit West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC). The ground floor provides office spaces for WHCHC and other non-profits while the 42 one-bedroom units above are reserved for low-income residents with special needs. Steel framing with long span decks are used to accommodate the parking grid below and to minimize floor to floor dimensions. Parking for retail use and visitors is provided at grade and resident parking is located in the subterranean garage below. An outdoor bamboo courtyard provides a garden for residents from which access to the units is provided. Each apartment has its own private balcony and common areas exist for the residents as well as for public use. Laundry facilities and other support spaces are also provided.
The building is the pilot project for the City of West Hollywood’s Green Building Ordinance, a local alternative to LEED, and incorporates green elements such as low-impact building materials and photovoltaic panels on the façade and roof for general energy usage and for heating domestic water.
In addition to this year’s AIA/HUD Secretary Award, Sierra Bonita has also received a Design Concept Award from the Los Angeles Business Council in 2008, a Best of Year Award from Interior Design Magazine in 2010, and the 2013 AISC Ideas2 Merit Award.
Owner: West Hollywood Community Housing Corp.
Architect: Patrick Tighe Architecture
Structural Engineer: Gilsanz Murray Steficek
Landscape Architect: AHBE Landscape
Sierra Bonita mixed-use affordable housing
Sierra Bonita – Under Construction
Sierra Bonita – Under Construction
Sierra Bonita – courtyard
Sierra Bonita – courtyard
Sierra Bonita – roof terrace
Read more at www.aia.org
Photo credit © Art Gray Photography