EV Apartments

Project Details

Project Description

Located in downtown San Diego’s booming East Village neighborhood, EV is conceived as a piece of sculpture - its modulated façade a carefully-scaled, dynamic interplay between solid and void. The residential floors are seen as a sleek, clean, white volume supported by concrete pilotis. This volume is interrupted by a glazed wall that signifies the building’s entry on Thirteenth Avenue. The facades of the residential levels employ a shifting pattern of fenestration that changes from floor to floor. In an effect that is lively and kinetic, the windows and glass-faced balconies are patterned to respond to the unique configuration of each apartment. Overall, an elemental palette of exposed concrete, glass, and white stucco creates a minimal and contemporary aesthetic, contrasting favorably with recently-built adjoining projects, while retaining a scale and flavor appropriate to the East Village context. Inward facing apartments at the upper-level offer views to a landscaped central courtyard. Ground level units have direct access to private patios within the courtyard. The 22-foot-wide sidewalk along Thirteenth Avenue features abundant landscaping at the property line and on the street side, creating a lush, pedestrian-friendly corridor. The site is further activated by two retail spaces than anchor the building’s corners. Street-facing apartments at the first floor can also be accessed directly from the sidewalk, adding vibrancy to the building’s streetwall. EV’s distinctive common area spaces are adorned throughout with custom art installations by local artists, and include a fitness center, media lounge and 9,000 sq. ft. rooftop deck with architectural lighting, steel and wood trellises, lounge seating, fire pits, and pet area. The open, activated, and porous posture of the building enlivens its urban-infill site and enhances the broader context of East Village, serving as a catalyst for further growth in the neighborhood.