From Quarry to Residential Village 
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationLarkspur, California, United States
ClientLincoln Property Company
Size280 multifamily units

SWA was hired to help reclaim an abandoned quarry into an attractive residential village. The program called for 256du on 12.5 net acres, a density of 2.5 du/acre. The City of Larkspur required that 97 of the total units be family units. They defined family units as residences with two or more bedrooms and located not more than one level above grade. The City was very sensitive to livability issues related to this project. SWA’s approach was to freely reshape/sculpt the degraded site to maximize the site’s potential for the proposed residential use. The project required an interdisciplinary approach involving architects, civil engineers, geotechnical consultants, and horticulturists. SWA was the lead designer responsible for the site plan, overall building massing, site grading, and open space improvements. Following the schematic phase, the landscape architects played an important role in coordination with the work of the architect and civil engineer; and continued this effort throughout the construction process. The designer massed and sited buildings to maximize offsite view potentials. They created a pedestrian precinct within the development, which emphasizes the pedestrian connections and amenities. This was enhanced by restricting vehicles to the perimeter of the site. The team created a distinct identity within each courtyard cluster and prioritized access to outdoor space. Given the City’s desire to create 97 family units, the design integrates these units with non-family units via building clustering and shared courtyards.

 

 

Related Projects

Quail Hill

This mixed-use planned community of over 6,000 people features over 2,000 dwellings in a broad mix of single family detached dwellings, and over 500 multifamily dwellings, complemented by a retail center and 800,000 square feet of flexible development. . Prominent natural landforms such as the Southern Ridge and the three knolls have been preserved and incorpo...

Senayan Square Apartment Towers

An upscale complex of four apartment buildings in downtown Jakarta catering to visiting executives and their families required landscape design services to ground two recently constructed towers. Providing inspiration for enriching this flat, undifferentiated site were the country’s ubiquitous, terraced rice paddies, located just beyond the city’s border. The ...

Sonoma Residence

Set amidst a coastal oak grove in Sonoma, this modern residence provides a peaceful retreat for a family and their growing children. Selected for its trees and pond, the site offers a rural escape where the owners can connect with nature. SWA’s design integrates oak grassland, chaparral, and riparian planting over a clean, minimal hardscape. Native meadow gras...

Stanford Toyon Hall

Toyon Hall, a significant historic building originally designed by Bakewell and Brown Architects in 1922, is a three-story structure centered around a magnificent formal courtyard with arcades and arches. The purpose of the project was to preserve, maintain and enhance the building and site. SWA scope of work included evaluation of existing site conditions and...

Next C

Next C Water City is a new, fully self-contained sustainable city planned for 500,000 residents. Water was central to the Next C planning concept, supplied by two adjacent rivers and monsoon rains. The city is a system of wetlands, rivers, lakes, and canals, cleansing the water from up-river communities and managing floods during the monsoon season. Working wi...

Stanford Branner Hall

Branner Hall is a three-story undergraduate dormitory built in 1924 by Bakewell and Brown, prominent architects of the time who were also responsible for San Francisco’s City Hall. The renovation design creates two significant courtyards: an entrance courtyard flanked with four-decades-old magnolia trees shading a seating area and an interior courtyard with a ...

Senayan Square Apartment Towers

An upscale complex of four apartment buildings in downtown Jakarta catering to visiting executives and their families required landscape design services to ground two recently constructed towers. Providing inspiration for enriching this flat, undifferentiated site were the country’s ubiquitous, terraced rice paddies, located just beyond the city’s border. The ...

East Quarter Mixed-Use

Two neighborhoods that abut the Downtown Dallas Central Business District have been disconnected for years by derelict blocks and buildings. The East Quarter Mixed-Use development establishes a walkable retail, dining, and entertainment connection between the thriving Deep Ellum Farmer’s Market and highly programmed Arts District. The project included the pres...