Mei Lun Yuen Chinatown Housing
San Francisco, California

This mixed-use development brings 185 units of family and elderly housing to San Francisco's most densely populated neighborhood, Chinatown. The often competing needs of affordable housing, open space and commercial development have been successfully realized here.

A 12-story tower, clad in energy-efficient composite skin, houses 152 units of elderly apartments. The tower steps back respectfully to preserve the views of its neighbors. Across the sunny, landscaped courtyard, 33 family apartments stand in 3-story blocks above the parking / commercial base structure. The base structure echoes the scale of the neighboring Chinatown markets, providing a street-level extension of the Stockton Street shopping district, and also houses 15,000 square feet of rentable space and parking for 62 cars.

The project was completed under the guidance and support of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, the San Francisco Art Commission and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. It has received both local acclaim and international recognition.