Merritt Crossing awarded highest honor by East Bay AIA

Oakland, CA — July 17, 2012

The American Institute of Architects, East Bay, awarded nine residential projects with jury honors for the 2012 Exceptional Residential: Bay Area Regional Design Awards. This program is the Bay Area’s only solely-residential architectural design awards program. Five homes were recognized with Merit Awards and four projects received the highest award of Honor. The projects include renovations, prefab/modular homes, and affordable and senior housing.

Honor Awards

Merritt Crossing, Oakland
Architect: Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects

Merritt Crossing is a new high-density, transit oriented development by a non-profit providing affordable apartments and services for low-income seniors in downtown Oakland. Located at the edge of Oakland’s Chinatown neighborhood near the Lake Merritt BART station, the project transforms an abandoned gas station site by an interstate highway into a new community asset. The non-institutional design combines colorful siding and panels with plant-supporting wire mesh screens to compliment the neighborhood’s eclectic pan-Asian residential character.

The building’s community-building amenities include on-site supportive services, a community room, and a landscaped courtyard and garden. The sustainable design is expected to achieve the highest level (Platinum) under the LEED for Homes rating system in addition to a high GreenPoint rating, Energy Star Rating and Bay Friendly landscaping certification. The building’s innovative sustainable systems include both photoelectric power and solar water heating, storm water retention, filtered ventilation, rainscreen facades and recyclable metal framing.

Jury Comments:
Great job. The use of color, daylight, and open spaces, like balconies, create a lively, welcoming home for a disadvantaged community. It’s a design that respects its tenants.