H-Street Lofts
Location
Fresno
Sq. Ft.
16,866
Year Completed
2008
Construction Partner
Pyramid Homes
This project site was originally occupied by the Army Induction Building, constructed during World War II to serve as the point of entry for enlisted soldiers from the Central Valley. The building had fallen into disrepair and the developer wished to revitalize the structure and convert it to live/work spaces for local artists.
2010 AIASJ Design Award Winner – Honor Award – Taylor Teter Partnership
As years of debris were being cleared from the building, the structure began to collapse. The developer decided to demolish the structure, thus freeing the site for more units than previously envisioned. Twenty-seven live/work loft units surrounding a lively courtyard were designed to embrace the gritty character of H Street on the edge of Fresno’s downtown. The site faces the heavily used BNSF railroad tracks. A raw and spartan architecture inspired by the nature of rail transport was used as the design motif to connect the vibrancy of the project to the uniqueness of the place.
The street façade facing the railroad is inspired by the no-frills materials, colors, and rhythms of the ever-present freight cars. Interiors are designed to be flexible and allow living and working to occur in natural-light-filled, secure units that look inward toward the courtyard to create a sense of community.
