We were commissioned to reimagine and enhance the historic Freedom West Homes in San Francisco. The project encompasses four city blocks in the iconic metropolitan west coast city. Our design focuses on reestablishing the city grid by recreating the urban neighborhood character, rather than the forced suburban character it currently has. Its current state is a result of the city鈥檚 desire to drive down density; specifically, the density of the ethnic populations in the area.
Freedom West Homes is one of the largest and oldest cooperatives in the Western U.S. Started in the late 1960鈥檚 by Reverend AJ Hall of Bethel AME Church, Freedom West Homes was a direct response to the destruction caused by the city of San Francisco鈥檚 urban renewal process with the goal of providing home ownership in the rapidly changing city. While a grand vision by Reverend AJ Hall, the cooperative needed a bold new concept to ensure the health and success for the future of the cooperative. We joined to realize a new vision and design for the historic property with Landon Taylor of Legacy First Partners, the Board of Freedom West Homes, and MacFarlane Partners.