A NEW LIVING COMPLEX IN SAN DIEGO is providing permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless veterans using very clever modular materials for its footprint: recycled shipping containers. The result is Potter's Lane, an energy-efficient community of 16 living spaces of 480-square-feet each—and a new lease on life for the veterans who now call the complex home.

The use of the shipping containers was innovative in many ways. Not only did their use eliminate the long development cycle often associated with site-built construction and financing, but it also shortened the actual build time on-site since the structures were able to be prepared off-site while work was being done to the site itself. In total, the project utilized 54 former shipping containers and was completed in just six months’ time.

An American Family Housing project, Potter's Lane also placed focus on the exterior common areas, designing tranquil gardens and shared spaces to encourage residents to interact with one another and foster a sense of community, belonging, and connectedness.

Already making waves, Potter's Lane took home the 2017 award for Best Affordable Housing Project from PCBC (formerly Pacific Coast Builders Conference). The design team for the project included SVA Architects Inc., LCY Designs, and James Dockstader Landscape Architect, among others.

RECLAIMING THE WATERFRONT

On the waterfront of San Diego’s North Embarcadero sits BRIC San Diego, a nearly 60,000-square-foot developing expanse of cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and other shops, not to mention several hotels and a ballpark.

An area that had nothing but potential, the development of BRIC plays into the evolution of the downtown area to be a 24-hour-a-day live/work/play environment.

The motivation behind the project is to revitalize the entire area and breathe new life into one of San Diego’s historic waterfront neighborhoods. The history of the neighborhood will be evident in many spaces, like a park that sits on the former Lane Field ballpark location and the surrounding retail and terrace spaces designed to step back from the park to visually recall the bleachers of old.

Architecture firm John Portman & Associates, Inc. led the design of BRIC Phase 1, which opened in 2016 and includes dual-branded Marriott hotels, leased retail areas for shops, and restaurants. The firm also is leading the design of a BRIC Phase 2, which will include a 400-room InterContinental hotel set for completion in 2018.