Cypress is an affordable housing design consisting of 62 SRO/Efficiency Units and one unit for management, developed by Affirmed Housing Group and financed by the San Diego Housing Commission and its partner. Designed to address the need for affordable housing in San Diego’s East Village district, Cypress targets special needs populations with an average of 40% AMI rents and offers its residents on-site services managed by Father Joe’s Villages.
Architecture/Affordable
Affirmed Housing
Cypress
Vision
Cypress is an affordable residential community in downtown San Diego. We were fortunate to work with Affirmed Housing Group, an organization which takes pride in providing exceptional residential environments for families, veterans, seniors, and the formerly homeless. Our goal was to design a community of residences that anyone would be proud to call home
Artist Inspired
Good design is essential, perhaps even more so for matters of social good. Good design means having a facility that does the most it can for its occupants through architecture and design. It means creating a lasting, adaptable, and effective environment for the mission of the operator. We believe this is what makes the most of these social offerings and amenities. Good design isn’t a luxury or something we reserve only for people who can afford it.
Our vision was inspired by an “abstract tree canopy” that we executed with colorful zinc panel siding that alternates with glazing and white plaster elements, simulating a pixelated image. The dark zinc panels terminate into a crystal clear common space area at the heart of the building. The ground floor is wrapped in glazing with a defined building entrance to meet the street. To welcome residents and visitors, a textured art screen guides pedestrians along the front façade along Imperial Ave. Outdoor courtyards on the south elevation reveal create an indoor/outdoor connection for residents.
Project Gallery
