Unusual Architecture + USA

Sacramento, California, Stati Uniti: [LA VALENTINA STATION BY DAVID BAKER + PARTNERS ARCHITECTS]
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

For more than two decades, a high-crime light-rail stop at a toxic empty lot; now, a sustainable affordable housing development and new gateway to downtown.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

This new affordable rental building remediates a toxic site, bolsters important local electrical and storm-water infrastructure, and brings compact transit oriented homes to a neglected area. The project provides 63 affordable homes for local singles and families earning between 30 and 50% of area median income.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

Taking a strong stand along the rail line, the building provides new neighborhood-serving spaces and puts eyes on the street with private balconies, an outdoor lobby and stair tower, and bridge ways that create views at all levels and on all sides of the site.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

The street level facing the light-rail station is activated by new commercial space and a café. An open-air stair and bridge emphasizes walk-ability and social interaction. The building provides secure indoor and outdoor bicycle parking.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

At ground level, a long span of glass, masked with a “bar-code” mural spelling the building name, illuminates the night sidewalk with a mellow glow while ensuring privacy for the community room inside.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

The larger development includes this project – a high-density, 76 unit/acre property with a mix of housing types – located alongside a row of zero-net-energy townhomes by YHLA Architects. Community space and services for both projects are provided on this site.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

The sustainable strategies for this project should be understood within the larger context of the whole development, which was planned to transform a high-crime, neglected site next to one of the most utilized transit stops in Sacramento into a diverse, high-density, transit-oriented, mixed-use gateway to the downtown area.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

A series of complementary simple and readily available green strategies were employed to reduce the negative impacts of the building on the site, while enhancing measures that improve quality of life for residents.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

Site constraints placed most units facing east and west, and heat gain was minimized by facing windows north and south around balconies, minimizing west-facing glazing, and allowing the cladding material to double as a sun shade. A 34 kW rooftop PV array provides a portion of common-area electricity. The project also features low-impact materials, including low-VOC interiors, permeable paving, and drought-tolerant landscaping.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

Low-energy and low-maintenance technologies such as LED fixtures in the corridors and high-reflectance roofing contributed to the building exceeding Title 24 by 10%.

La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects
La Valentina Station David Baker Partners Architects

Location: Sacramento, California, USA Architect: David Baker + Partners Project Team: David Baker Faia Leed Ap, Peter Mackenzie Aia, Bradley Sugarman Aia Leed Ap, Kevin Markarian Aia Leed Ap Contractor: Brown Construction Structural Engineer: Anderson Structural Group Civil Engineer: Cunningham Engineering Electric: Barnum & Celillo Electric, Inc Mechanical: Kc Engineering Geotechnical: Engineer Raney Geotechnical Inc. Landscape Architect: Garth Ruffner Landscape Architect Landscape Consultant: Fletcher Studio Date of occupancy: July 2012 Square footage: 67,356sf Site area: 36,124sf Construction cost: $14m Client: Domus Development Awards: “Best Infill Project of 2011-12”, Sacramento Business Journal Photographer: Bruce Damonte