Rudy Bruner Award Collection

Title

St. Francis Square

Description

1987 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal

St. Francis Square in San Francisco emphasizes community building in an affordable, cooperatively owned, low-rise family housing complex in the inner city. Its award-winning design includes 299 units clustered in 12 three-story walk-up buildings arranged around three shared courtyards, a playground, and the local YMCA. In contrast to high rise developments geared toward the more affluent, St. Francis Square was designed to attract and retain low-income families and to encourage resident interaction.

Developed in 1963 by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the Pacific Maritime Association, the complex was the first inter-racial housing cooperative on the West Coast. By closing off streets that used to run through the area, the project creates a strong sense of community and better provides for the needs of families with children. The cooperative form of tenancy makes residents stakeholders with a sense of political and financial power despite their modest means and invites tenant leadership and responsibility. St. Francis Square demonstrates that quality low-rise affordable housing, when well designed, can function in densely populated urban areas, facilitate community living, and provide a model for inner-city development.

Coverage

San Francisco, CA

Date

1964

Subject

mixed-income housing

low-income housing

cooperative housing

low-rise housing

Contributor

San Francisco Redevelopment Agency

Contributor

en Public Agency

Marquis & Stoller

Contributor

en Architect

Lawrence Halprin

Contributor

en Landscape Architect

Rights

This digital collection is made available for research and educational purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining copyright status, and securing permissions for use and publication of any material. Copyright for items in this collection may be held by the creators, their heirs, or assigns. Researchers are required to obtain written permission from copyright holders and the University Archives prior to reproducing or publishing materials, including images and quotations. For inquiries about reproduction requests and permissions, please contact the University Archives at: http://library.buffalo.edu/archives/.