Built in the 1950s to provide housing for military families after World War II, the Parkmerced neighborhood in San Francisco has declined in recent years. SOM’s redevelopment plan represents a remarkable opportunity to transform this large, aging housing complex and its surrounding area into a vibrant, sustainable community.
In addition to new energy-efficient residential buildings, the project includes retail, offices, and open space. Originally designed for reliance on the automobile, the revitalized neighborhood will feature traffic improvements and added transportation options. An existing light-rail line will be rerouted into the district, and residents will be able to walk to a new central shopping area for groceries and other goods and services. The plan aims to substantially reduce miles traveled by car.
The 8,900-unit development (at full buildout) will protect current tenants from displacement and will help address the city’s current housing shortage for people of all income levels.
Image © SOM
The Vision Plan lays out a conceptual framework for transforming the existing Parkmerced housing development into a 21st-century model of a healthy neighborhood. Image © SOM
Parkmerced weaves together diverse and engaging public spaces to promote walking and outdoor activity in a socially vibrant neighborhood. Image © SOM
The Vision Plan creates natural habitats and promotes the efficient use of resources while meeting the communitys needs for recreation, open space and local food production. Image © SOM | Tom Leader Studio
Image © SOM
Image © SOM
Image © SOM
Transit is made more convenient with the incorporation of a new transit plaza that relocates the exiting M-line stop, connecting bus lines, light rail, and new shuttle service to the BART. Image © SOM
A network of bio swales and biogutters makes rainwater an integral and visible part of the streetscape. This Stream Corridor is the backbone of the site hydrology, a rich habitat attracting an array of native wildlife. Image © SOM
The urban form balances residential density to emphasize neighborhood gathering spaces that respond to the pedestrian environment, while achieving an extremely efficient use of land. Image © SOM
The presence of a regenerative network comprised of deeply interconnected urban and natural systems will establish an ecologically healthy neighborhood. Image © SOM
A comprehensive energy strategy utilizes practical solutions, such as high performance building envelopes, passive solar design, installation of renewable energy systems, and integrated district energy systems. Image © SOM
Collecting rainwater runoff through a combination of low impact development techniques, including bio swales and other bio-filtration systems, will help restore the natural hydrology of the site.Image © SOM
Renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaic solar collectors and wind turbines, will produce a percentage of Parkmerceds energy, reducing the need for off-site energy supplies. Image © SOM
