TCA Architects

CSUMB Master Plan Concept

tcaeditor - Sep 16, 2023

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.

HANOVER DIRIDON

tcaeditor - Sep 15, 2023

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 15, 2023

La Placita Cinco repurposes the prototypical auto-oriented strip mall into a neighborhood-serving, inclusive community consisting of family-oriented affordable homes, outdoor amenities, and reinvigorated commercial center. The site, formerly called Tiny Time Plaza is a 2.25-acre commercial property situated between a residential neighborhood to the north and east, and industrial and commercial uses to the south and west. The 50 year old retail center consists of 2 single-story commercial buildings and a former gas station. The asphalt surface area encompassed over two thirds of the property with ill defined edges that blended into the pedestrian walkways in front of the building storefronts and adjacent public sidewalks. “La Placita Cinco” replaces the former gas station and portion of the parking lot, encompassing a third of the overall property with a 3-4 story mixed-use building consisting of 50 two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartment homes with ground floor community space.

The massing of the building provides a strong urban edge along the Fifth Street commercial corridor, while responding to the Hawley Street residential connector by opening its courtyard and stepping down the building height. The two commercial buildings and all their tenants remained, and were integrated into a reimagined site plan that is anchored by the three buildings. The commercial buildings were reinvigorated by the complete transformation of the building facades with new architecture, signage, and enhanced pedestrian [ADA] access. The remaining surface parking was redesigned to support active use. Wide, landscaped plazas were added along the retail facades, allowing the businesses to extend their operations outdoors, including outdoor dining, and to support pop-up programming such as farmer’s markets and special events. Between the two retail buildings, a mini park was added to accommodate a variety of uses, from fitness programs and concerts, to a welcoming place to meet a friend or let children play while running errands.

Mercy House is providing supportive services for residents and neighbors. The ground floor space of the housing was designed to be available as a resource for community nonprofit organizations to host events. There are spaces that could be used for small meetings (job interviews, counseling, etc.) and larger ones such as neighborhood association meetings, art classes, training sessions, etc.

The project leveraged traditional and innovative funding sources that are unique to rehabilitating a blighted commercial property with affordable housing. In its final form La Placita Cinco is supported through a 9% tax credit award, and cooperative lender and investor partners who worked diligently to find solutions that supported both the new construction of affordable residential units with the plaza renovations. Making everything possible was the support from the City of Santa Ana, who approved not only all the necessary entitlements, but also $6 million in subordinated funding to ensure the financial feasibility of the project.

Design Architect: City Fabrick

Mass Timber Pavilion

tcaeditor - Sep 12, 2023

TCA renovated a single-story building of 11,500 SF to accommodate our Orange County team of 55 employees. Design features include a custom Mass Timber Pavilion which encompasses the large main conference room and extends out over the adjacent kitchen area. Mass timber has several health benefits, including:

Improved indoor air quality: Mass timber has natural moisture-regulating properties, which can help to improve indoor air quality. Unlike traditional building materials, mass timber does not off-gas harmful chemicals into the air, making it a healthier option for occupants.

Biophilic design: Mass timber buildings can incorporate biophilic design, which is the concept of connecting people with nature through design. Biophilic design has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being.

Acoustic properties: Mass timber has excellent acoustic properties, which can help to reduce noise levels in buildings. This can improve the overall comfort and well-being of occupants.

Fire safety: Mass timber is highly fire-resistant due to its thick, solid composition. It also has a natural charring effect, which helps to protect the timber from fire damage. This makes mass timber buildings safer for occupants in the event of a fire.

Overall, mass timber has several health benefits that make it an attractive option for sustainable and healthy building construction, especially in office environments.

AMPLIFI

tcaeditor - Sep 10, 2023

AmpliFi is designed to address three distinct edge conditions surrounding the property; while grounding the aesthetic in Fullerton’s history. With close proximity of the Fullerton Station rail line, AmpliFi emphasizes transit-oriented, urban, walkable edges. To reflect the city’s namesake (the city is named after the man that brought the train to the City) the project draws inspiration of locomotion into the design narrative by incorporating a box car theme that moves along Commonwealth Avenue. The moving box car pattern transitions around the corner and becomes more residential as it moves onto Chestnut Place and Williamson Avenue. Architecture is minimized on these streets, while courtyards and open space are maximized to create a more residential scaled edge. The rail line edge highlights the ramp of our parking garage in two large angled frames that displays the movement of the automobile alongside the movement of the train.

THE GARRISON

tcaeditor - Sep 10, 2023

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.

WAIKIKI BOUTIQUE HOTEL INTERIORS

tcaeditor - Sep 09, 2023

In this renovation concept for a casual 3 star hotel, a contemporary, yet timeless design blends a soulful Hawaii with modern notes; elevating the guest to a new and sophisticated 4 star experience.

ONE PASEO

tcaeditor - Sep 08, 2023

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.

NewPark Place Master Plan

tcaeditor - Sep 07, 2023

In 2018, the NewPark Place Specific Plan was green lit with the ambitious goal of revitalizing the NewPark Mall. Brookfield stepped up to the challenge, acquiring the mall and enlisting TCA to spearhead the master planning process. Over several years of collaboration, TCA worked closely with Brookfield Residential and Retail to forge a new vision for the area. Out of the original 1,030,000 square feet of mall space, approximately 430,000 square feet are slated for demolition, including anchors like JC Penny, Burlington, Inline Shops, and Sears. In their footprint, a fresh 220,000 square feet will be dedicated to a new Costco and a Retail co-working center.

The southern parking lots of the mall will undergo a transformation, making way for five new residential developments – three wrap and two podium structures – delivering a total of 1,519 units and accommodating roughly 2,800 residents who will support both existing and revamped retail spaces. Careful attention has been paid to vehicular circulation and service access to both retail and residential parcels. A key element of the plan introduces an activated retail/residential street, fostering a walkable and interactive environment with parks, plazas, and commercial outlets.

To address the reduction in retail square footage, parking will be replenished through the construction of two proposed podium structures. Convincing the city of Newark about the merits of this concept was crucial, so Brookfield entrusted TCA to create an experiential video fly through showcasing the new vision, emphasizing connectivity, retail offerings, and the residential master plan. The master plan was met with enthusiastic approval, signaling the transformation of a struggling mall into a dynamic and thriving concept.

Currently, TCA is focused on designing the first phase of residential development, which will comprise of 319 units.

Click to watch the video fly through!

Wallace on Sunset

tcaeditor - Sep 06, 2023

Wallace on Sunset is a 7-story, 200 unit mixed-use project containing 4,700 SF of ground floor retail in Los Angeles, CA. In response to its context, which dramatically varies on all four sides of the site, the project uses simple rectangular masses. These masses are broken up with undulations and pops of color on the facade. Balcony railings consist of aluminum and glass on the outward facing facades to preserve views and minimal metal rails at the courtyards. The sweeping frame around the fitness center’s glass volume along with the solid canopies above the balconies is sheathed with pre-finished metal panels. Wallace on Sunset is a LEED Gold-certified project.

Concept/Entitlement by HED Architects.