La Mora Senior Housing

In order to meet the budgetary restrictions that would make this project affordable, the building was designed to be modular wood construction.  Each apartment’s two components ( Living/Dining/Kitchen and Bedroom/Bathroom, were factory built and shipped to the site for assembly into the final building.  Energy conservation was also key to keeping operating costs down, and the building has been designed to meet Passive House certification, which is the most energy efficient approach to building systems and energy usage. The four-story massing responds to the neighborhood height context of other apartment buildings and a church.

Large wrap-around triple-glazed windows belie the sense that affordable housing cannot feel gracious and light-filled, creating the feeling of generous space.

The building has frontage on three streets, creating a rear public courtyard and parking area.  The massing has been articulated, by varying the depth and materials on the façade, to create the impression of a row of townhomes rather than a monolithic building. The sloping site allowed for the creation of taller ceilings on the lower public floor, which includes lobby, exercise and a community room for programs and other functions.