Description
Balboa Reservoir Building E will be the first 100% affordable housing building in the new Balboa Reservoir neighborhood in San Francisco, adjacent to City College. Balboa Reservoir will be a diverse and inclusive mixed-income community that brings together residents and neighbors around the new Reservoir Park. Building E also provides a publicly accessible community room that will serve both residents and the broader community. The distinctive corner form and glass base will as a lantern at the gateway to Reservoir Park and blur the lines between indoors and out. Building E will have 128 affordable family units.
Architectural Design Features
- Connect to natural setting
- Links to surrounding commercial, residential, and institutional uses
- Photovoltaic Isolation
- Distinct stepping architecture
- Public Community room acts as a lantern on the park
Green Features
- Photovoltaics offset house loads
- Pursuing LEED Gold Certification
- All-Electric
- Greenhouse Gas (GHG) neutral
- Resilience hub during power outages or or air-quality events
PROJECT INFORMATION
- Client: BRIDGE Housing
- Executive Architect: VMWP
- Associate Architect: Y.A. Studio
- Site Area: 31,330 sq. ft / 0.76 acres
- Unit Count: 128 family units
- Density: 168 du/ac
- Completion: Spring 2028
Balboa Reservoir Master Plan
The Balboa Reservoir neighborhood will be a diverse and inclusive mixed-income community that brings together residents and neighbors around the new Reservoir Park. Landscape and architecture will work together to connect residents to the natural setting and to link the surrounding commercial, residential and institutional uses into a cohesive community. Balboa Reservoir will be a deeply sustainable place that prioritizes walking, biking, and the shared stewardship of resources. Most importantly, this community will be called “home” by up to 1,100 San Francisco households, at least half of whom will qualify for affordable/workforce housing, with a special focus on families with children and CCSF faculty and staff. The masterplan was designed in partnership with Pyatok and GLS.
San Francisco Affordable Housing Architect
With over 37 years of experience shaping San Francisco’s built environment, VMWP is proud to continue our commitment to affordable housing through two recent projects: 180 Jones and Islais Place. 180 Jones brings 70 units of supportive housing to the Tenderloin, thoughtfully designed to foster stability and community for formerly homeless residents. In the Excelsior, Islais Place at 4840 Mission Street delivers 137 affordable homes alongside ground-floor retail, enhancing neighborhood vibrancy and access. These projects reflect our longstanding dedication to creating inclusive, resilient communities across San Francisco, California.