TCA Architects

HANOVER DIRIDON

tcaeditor - Sep 25, 2024

Hanover Diridon at 717 West Julian sits on the edge of two worlds in San Jose- a lower density largely residential neighborhood of bungalows and apartment buildings, and the planned “Innovation District” as envisioned as part of the Diridon Station Plan in San Jose. The Innovation District includes planned housing as well as a large office presence from some of Silicon Valley’s largest employers. The building design expresses this nexus in three parts- a larger scaled gesture to the future district, a reduced scale rhythm to the residential district, and a dramatic corner gesture and plaza where the two meet.

LA PLACITA CINCO

tcaeditor - Sep 20, 2024

La Placita Cinco transforms a typical auto-oriented strip mall into a community-centered space with affordable housing and amenities. Located in Santa Ana’s Artesia Pilar neighborhood, the development reclaims underutilized land from a large surface parking lot and a former gas station. It creates 50 affordable apartment homes surrounding a common courtyard with community services on the ground floor. The development integrates with the existing commercial buildings, which have been revamped with new architecture, signage, and improved pedestrian access.

Original design by Urban Architecture Lab, with Architect of Record services by TCA.

High-MASS

tcaeditor - Sep 15, 2024

Advancements in engineering and changes to building codes are creating new opportunities and applications for Mass Timber buildings. High-MASS (Materiality, Applicability, Sustainability, Scalability) is a Mass Timber building that was originally envisioned as a high-rise multifamily project using traditional concrete slab construction. The re-envisioned design will utilize the heavy timber option in Type IV-B, allowing up to 12 stories of Mass Timber over 1 level of Type I-A concrete at the ground level. The design accentuates the beauty of wood by allowing it to be exposed. Heavy Timber columns, beams and a portion of the ceilings are exposed, giving us a rich, warm aesthetic finish. The exterior expresses the aesthetic through transparent window wall in front of a grid of wood columns, with wood composite veneer panels over the remainder of the facade. The most efficient means to provide lateral resistance for the project is with concrete shear walls located in the vertical core. The lighter Mass Timber building in the Bay Area has many benefits including, but not limited to, quicker erection time with less labor, materials which sequester carbon, health and biophilic benefits for the residents and a nearly Net Zero building. High-MASS is the perfect blend of nature and science.

THE GARRISON

tcaeditor - Sep 10, 2024

The Garrison is a 5-story, 94 unit multi-family residential project on West Katella Avenue in Orange, California. The 1.1 acre site is located directly east of the 57 freeway and the Santa Ana river, and is proximate to the Angel Stadium, the Honda Center, and ARTIC. The site sits within the Stadium Promenade center and is walking distance to entertainment, dining, and bike trails. The design concept is all about capturing and framing “long” views – looking out and over the immediate industrial and commercial context toward the exciting activity of the surrounding area. Amenities like the 7,500 SF courtyard and the intimate rooftop deck are placed strategically to take advantage of these views, so that residents can enjoy spectacles such as the Disneyland fireworks from the comfort of their own home. The project’s architectural expression is inspired by boutique hotels, which celebrate individuality and contrast the old with the new and the gritty with the glamorous. The design sets itself apart from existing developments in the area by focusing on material choice, combining sophisticated boutique-inspired gestures with a rustic industrial palette. This creates an eclectic and unique juxtaposition within the promenade that will draw vibrancy and activity.

CSUMB Master Plan Concept

tcaeditor - Sep 01, 2024

The CSUMB 2nd Avenue master plan achieves the Client’s and University’s design goals for a socially vibrant, wellness-focused community that is integrated with nature. The 72-acre development opportunity is located a half mile from the ocean and just adjacent to the CSU Monterey Bay campus. The largely undeveloped site with existing sporadic development presents an opportunity for a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development, ranging in market rate residential, to senior and family affordable housing. The Client and CSUMB envisioned a supportive community to the university and surrounding area. The concept starts with restorative design by transforming the asphalt parking lot into an active, pedestrian friendly community with housing for all ages. The existing Cypress Grove is preserved for its natural beauty and contribution to identity of place. To complement the natural beauty of the site, the architectural and landscape design will create beautiful spaces that the community will cherish. The grading of the property influenced vehicular/pedestrian circulation, along with the preservation of cypress groves.

ONE PASEO

tcaeditor - Aug 30, 2024

Located in the Del Mar Heights community of San Diego, One Paseo is a mixed-use project incorporating residential, retail and office space. The residential component (designed by TCA) provides the critical mass needed to sustain 24/7 activity by locating housing in direct proximity to shopping and working environments. Horizontal proximity integrates these essential uses supporting a sustainable, pedestrian friendly and livable environment. Ultimately, the intent is to energize the community with a variety of demographics by providing a choice in housing types that in turn creates a vibrant social fabric. The housing type is 4 and 5 stories of housing above ground-floor amenities.

The retail component (designed by Ware Malcomb) consists of 12 single-story restaurant and high-end retail buildings totaling approximately 96,000 square feet. The craftsman-style buildings feature primarily wood frame construction, intricate details and various finish materials to create a community-oriented environment. The neutral color palette for the buildings allows the merchandise and tenants to be the focal point. Two office buildings (designed by Gensler) totaling over 280,000 SF round out the site and create the perfect Live, Work, Play environment.

AMLI MDR

TCA Architect - Aug 29, 2024

Responding to site context and creating a strong link between the buildings and the community was among the top priorities during the planning stages of AMLI-MDR, located harborside in Marina del Rey, CA. Influenced by the scenery of the marina, the design drew inspiration from an image of a boathouse. Simple shed roof with exposed rafters and wall cladding composed of sidings, plaster and stone materials create a sublime visual nautical theme. Large corner windows and open rail balcony blurs the line between indoor and outdoor. Ultimately, the design is about living close to the water where people experience their surroundings – the sound of the water, the breeze of the sea and saltwater air. The 10.4 acre site will be developed as a 585 unit mixed-use apartment project configured in 6 separate buildings. Each of the buildings contain a lobby on the promenade with an elevator, club house, and amenity space such as a dog wash or bike shop. Some buildings will either have a roof top deck or landscaped garden. The property will also feature pool areas, fireplace structures, monument walls, trellises, plazas and promenades.

4TH & HILL

tcaeditor - Aug 28, 2024

A 31-story apartment tower located at the intersection of 4th and Hill in downtown Los Angeles. There are four districts that converge at the site: Bunker Hill, the Financial District, the Jewelry District, and the Historic Core District. The project is directly adjacent to the entrance to one of DTLA’s main transportation arteries Pershing Square Metro Station, one of the busiest metro stations in the area. Containing 428 luxury apartment homes, the tower is envisioned to be a beacon for the community. Through design and programming, the base of the building is proposed to not only ground the beaconing tower, but also to activate the currently lackluster Metro station corner. Orientation of the building captures views of the LA City Hall to the Northeast, Angels Flight to the West, the Historic Broadway strip to the South, and Pershing Square to the Southwest. 4th & Hill is designed to achieve LEED Gold-certification.

NEPTUNE MARINA

TCA Architect - Aug 26, 2024

In the city of Marina del Rey, Neptune Marina is inspired by the era of mid-century modern design. The design of Neptune Marina reflects the same timeless quality, clean simplicity, and integration with nature as the mid-century style is known for. The form giving influence of the project is derived from an architectural expression of post and beam with ample windows, open floor plans, and desire to bring the outdoors in. The architecture presents a disciplined use of material that integrates texture, stone accents, and natural color palette with the addition of a modest yet playful splash of color. A conscious effort was made to synthesize vernacular tradition with a modern language to create architecture firmly rooted in its own place and time. Symbolic forms and icons are borrowed from the past, and re-arranged in striking new compositions. The goal is not to attempt to change the course of a culture nor to produce stylistic replicas of a time past, but rather to fuse the current social realities and cultural expressions with the physical experiences of the site’s history.

ADDISON

TCA Architect - Aug 25, 2024

Addison is a seven-story, 107 unit apartment project in the Arts District of downtown Berkeley, California. Drawing upon the property’s location in the heart of the Arts District of Berkeley, CA, the building features a ‘Poetry Garage Door’, a collaboration between a local poet and artisan, that pays homage to the celebrated “Berkeley Poetry Walk” one block east on Addison Street. The ‘Poetry Garage Door’ is crafted from laser-cut, backlit, metal letters that completely fill the entryway with the poet’s verses. The site is within walking distance of UC Berkeley and Berkeley City College, BART, shops, restaurants, bars, and the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. The project is the first double podium, “5 over 2” project in Berkeley. Addison’s street frontage is made active by resident amenities, highly visible from the sidewalk and framed by storefront scaled openings. The roof deck and upper residential levels have spectacular views of San Francisco Bay. Unique features of Addison’s sustainable design include a panelized rain screen and rainwater cistern that provides water to the dog wash; and a puzzle lift auto park system that can more densely accommodate up to 68 vehicles.