The Green Solution

The Mission District is the true heart of San Francisco’s cultural and ethnic diversity, where higher urban density results in a conspicuous lack of green spaces for communal use. New San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on-site water management regulations and the concerning lack of park space for children called for a soft solution, one that leverages the full 6,000-square-foot on-podium courtyard. The result is a lush, vibrant focal point for the 60-unit community living entirely atop a 40,000-square-foot pharmacy.

Inner-City Meadow

INTERSTICE Architects utilized the entire roof surface of the mixed-use developments podium to create an elevated inner-city meadow of native and adapted plants, an oasis amidst the dense urban fabric that is located just off of Mission Street. Over this invisible stormwater sponge, decking and pathways float and meander through the plantings so residents can utilize the space in a variety of ways. Paths morph to form a raised stage, ramps, a giant seat, and intimate nooks ranging in scale from public communal spaces to private decks for individual park-side units. Ample seating amid the potted trees and long grasses give the residents a place to enjoy the sunshine with a book or the company of family.

Design for the Rain

Rainwater management for the 555 Bartlett Courts project was a huge driver of INTERSTICE’s design scope. The residential courtyard’s design was meant to collect rainwater and filter it in a central landscaped area. The rainwater collectors form thresholds and gateways that are integral to planters that work to define public communal space and private patios. The public sidewalk design includes permeable sidewalk gardens and street trees that improve the urban ecology through stormwater infiltration and habitat creation.

• Landscape
• Residential