The Austin

The Austin is located in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill district. In addition to the 103 residential units and ground level commercial retail space, this project also houses an art gallery for the nearby community. Arquitectonica worked with the client and members of the San Francisco Planning Department to reach a design that respects the historical nature of this district and the neighboring San Francisco Community. The 12-story, mixed-use project with 103 residential condominium units, retail and lobby at grade, with 2 levels of resident parking below ground. The façade massing consists of white rectangular frames of varying scale. The frames follow the slope of the street and the larger cross section of the neighborhood – with taller buildings towards the top of the hill and mid-rise projects to the east at Polk Street. The frames both hover and connect with the ground depending on the usage at grade. Where retail occupies frontage, frames are grounded. Where frames are elevated – more private resident entries are revealed. Raised frames provide opportunities for ample transparency into the lobby and amenity spaces. The white frames are set onto a darker mass – the spine of the building, which houses the vertical circulation. Within the frames, an irregular rhythm of windows and infill panels connects either one or two stories, creating additional visual interest.