The Welcome Center at The Shipyard plays a vital role in defining the character of this new community being the first building that a potential resident encounters. The client, Lennar Urban wanted a building that spoke to the past (shipyard building) while setting the stage for the future (10,000 new residences).

The Center is used as a sales office but also serves as a temporary community center for this emerging neighborhood. Designed as a modular pre-fab building to allow easy relocation in five years, it was built in 12’ sections and constructed off-site in Fresno. The undulating roof forms, and corrugated metal siding mimic the warehouses that formerly occupied the site, while speaking of the contemporary high-density housing currently being constructed on site. As the entire community is designed to be environmentally conscious, the building is purposefully demonstrative of this ethos and includes highly recyclable materials, photovoltaic sunscreens, and a rainwater collection system for irrigation. This project was completed under the aegis of the SF Redevelopment Agency in conjunction with Lennar Urban.