Herschel Avenue Townhomes & Office
La Jolla, California
This mixed-use infill project near the “village” edge establishes a transitional neighborhood bridge—from commercial / retail core, to hillside residential beyond. Organized on a 14,000 square foot site, a pair of 4,150 square foot townhomes bookend a 4,950 square foot office, encapsulating a 20-car parking facility. The modernist architectural vocabulary emphasizes quiet clarity of materials and form, and extends throughout (including contrasting materials – e.g. rough, board-formed concrete against polished stone). Other design elements—such as barrel vaults, structural glass mullioned walls, and steel frame sunshades—capitalize on daylight as an architectural element, complemented by a textured landscape of flowers, bamboo, bougainvillea and ficus. A later remodel focused on the interior courtyard, creating a functional indoor/outdoor living space and lightening the feel of circulation elements.