The Fairways
Completed
The Fairways at San Antonio bridges the idyllic setting of a golf course to the east and the ferocity of freeway noise to the west. The building responds to both extremes by combining elegance with practicality. First and foremost, the massing and expression of The Fairways with its protective shell displays a dedication towards quality of life for its residents.
Project Details
LOCATION
San Jose, CA
CLIENT
Affirmed Housing
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Inc.
UNITS
86 appartments
COMPLETION DATE
2009
CERTIFICATIONS
LEED Gold
AWARDS
2010 American Institute of Architects, Santa Clara Valley Chapter, Citation, Fairways at San Antonio Affordable Housing, San Jose, CA
Responding to difficult sites with delightful design.
The automotive drama of the adjacent freeway is mitigated with a metallic soundwall - standing as an abstracted landmark for the eastern approach into the City. From the freeway, the building appears as a fortress of metaphoric chevron forms. However, the project provides an oasis of calm for the dwellings and four landscaped courtyards contained. The private decks of the 86 affordable apartments look onto these courtyards, to the golf course beyond and out to city lights and mountains in the distance. The tidy contemporary glass and steel pavilion highlights the primary entry that presides over a concentrically designed public park built for use by the building residents and the surrounding neighborhood.
The five separated buildings that comprise the development are linked by an open-air corridor and are topped with expansive photo-voltaic arrays powering lighting for all common spaces within. Other sustainable features include: Two-by-six exterior stud walls allow for extra insulation; hallways are designed to maximize natural daylight and ventilation; and Energy-Star appliances are standard.
“The freeway sound wall is truly amazing. It’s like a piece of urban art that delights first-time visitors and daily commuters alike…it shows the pride that this city takes in its architecture – even on the most difficult of sites.”
— San Jose City Council member, Nora Campos From The Fairways Opening Ceremony, August 13, 2009