Serpentine Courts

Creating High-Value Densified Housing by Optimizing Inside-Outside Space

The housing shortage is a central topic in the Bay Area.
Densification is the common answer, but often to the detriment of light and air as well as public and natural open spaces.
Too little thought is given of how humans move through space and how the inside relates to the outside –  especially in the benign coastal climate of California. This project is a study in addressing the value of open space as an extension of live and work areas for all tenants.

Multiple cultural and business developments indicate a reduction of personal vehicle use: expanding public transit, work space flexibility, (car-) shareconomy, self-driving vehicles, e-bicycles  and micro mobility devices are all on the rise. Assuming a continuation of this trend, the Serpentine Courts are designed with a lower average parking count, only incorporating one level of an existing podium parking structure into the project, and allowing even that area to transform into other uses (i.e. recreation, offices) over time. Reusing the semi-submerged lower parking level raises the Serpentine Courts 5 feet above street level, thus providing higher privacy to the street-facing units while also increasing a sense of safety and identity in the raised courtyards.

The curvilinear massing of the Serpentine housing bars activates pedestrian flow into the courtyards, and offers a refreshing contrast with the orthogonal grid of the surrounding housing blocks.
All units feature private balconies on their street facade and kitchen windows to the decks facing the courtyard. In some instances they have two courtyard facing facades. A network of decks, bridges and balconies provides multiple vistas, visual connections and opportunities for meeting points. The common circulation decks are spaced off the buildings to allow natural light deep down to the lower units and to provide a privacy distance from the units.  Additional deck areas cantilevering over the courtyard provide space for gatherings, kids play or planters.
The roofs are a continuation of the landscape, and are linked via bridges to create walkway deck loops. In the fully built-out stage, all roofs are connected to create an elevated system of walkway decks protected by the dappled shade of trees and PV-cell covered trellises.

Vertical circulation hubs located at both ends of each housing serpentine are highlighted by colored screens that wrap stairs and elevator shafts connecting from garage to roof level.