PROJECTS

JIM GATES EXPERIENCE INCLUDES A VARIETY OF PROJECTS INCLUDING

MIXED USE, INSTITUTIONAL, COMMERCIAL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

Lofts @ 655 6th
San Diego, California | 
Mixed Use

The project is located at 6th and ‘G’ Streets in Downtown San Diego. It is a 106 unit mixed use project, and one of the few rental projects developed in the heart of the historic Gaslamp area of the city. The structure is cast in place concrete with in-fill glazing. It includes an on-site state of the art media center, computer lounge, workout facility and a three story underground parking structure.
The project makes use of a floating sun tempering element that sets out from the face of the building on the west side and is suspended over the sidewalk below. It is, in essence, a second window system partially covered with photographic translucent film. Both the glass of the building skin itself, and this outer hanging element will receive the film. Every ten years, a photographic artist will be commissioned to tell a new story on the building. This allows building, inhabitant and street life to interact with one another, and transforms an otherwise simple housing project into a community treasure.

Published in Residential Architect (Jan/Feb 2007)

Recipient of American Institute of Architects San Diego Citation of Recognition (2008) and Orchids & Onions, Orchid (Fall 2008)

UCSD Student Center Expansion
La Jolla, California | 
Universities

The site is an important addition to the original student center of a major university. The campus is near the ocean, which provides a breezy and benign environment. The original cluster of student center buildings occupied a tree covered hill in the 1970’s. What was the main social hub of the then much smaller campus was de-emphasized by the construction of a newer larger center in the 1980’s. Many of the student services focused at the new location. Despite the completion of the new modern center, it was the choice of a number of student organizations to remain in the original center, attracted to its warmth of materials, its park-like setting, and the unique brand of student drawn there. The university newspapers, radio station, food co-op, bookstore, general store, and TV station chose to stay and call this original place home. The 1980's newly built center became the de-facto student center; used by the majority of students, the mainstream; the fraternities, the sororities, student leadership and an administrative hub. The fact is, no campus can exist without a split of the properties exhibited in the sum of both centers. 

The physical setting factors heavily in making the Original Student Center a unique and personal space for its users. Towering groves of Eucalyptus trees run throughout the campus, and the student center is located midpoint in one of the larger offshoots of the grove. This park became a joiner of two worlds. It cuts a swath between the Original Student Center and the new center, acting as a neutral and soothing balm between two extremes of student life.

The program called for a two phase approach to the work being done at the Original Student Center. The first phase involved the addition of 13,593 GSF of space to the existing 20,012 GSF of center. The second phase added some 4000 GSF more to the center. Of paramount importance to the project was maintaining the existing character and feel of the new structures to the center. The Architect and the University’s Facilities staff worked closely together with the many student organizations to insure that the character of the existing center is enhanced by the new work.  

Published in Arhcitectural Record Magazine (November 2007) and The Campus Guide - University of California, San Diego (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010)

Recipient of American Institute of Architects San Diego Citation of Recognition (2006 and 2008)

Photography by David Hewitt and Anne Garrison Architectural

El Norte Apartments
Escondido, California | 
Residential

San Diego non-profit agency, Community Housing Works has commissioned Public to design a 36 unit affordable housing development that utilizes the Build it Green guidelines for multifamily housing. The units will be comprised of one, two, and three bedrooms. The site plan consists of four separate buildings situated to create a central courtyard. This courtyard will have covered picnic and barbeque areas and a “natural” play ground. This project also includes a community garden for the tenants and the greater community alongside a planting palette of edible landscape designed in conjunction with Landscape Architect Schmidt Design Group.