Casa Querencia
Location
Santa Ana, CA
timeline
2018—2021
Role
Consultant
Services
More Info
The permanent supportive community for those formerly struggling with homelessness in Santa Ana, provides over sixty dwelling units immersed amongst a diverse array of amenities, open spaces, and services.
Its location is ideally situated among over two dozen public, social, and health service providers, most within a ten-minute walk of the community. Adjacencies to residential, commercial, and freeway along with the unique property configuration guided the project design as a series of wall-like shapes that buffer the internal and external functions of the community and neighbors from impacts of the regional infrastructure. The building is further articulated to baffle and diffuse the sound and visibility of the freeway, while focusing resident views towards Santa Ana’ historic water tower.
Urban + Systems
Planning + Policy
Building + Interior
Casa Querencia is configured as three buildings, the two closest to surrounding residential buildings consist mostly of studio and one-bedroom homes, with the third hosting space for community amenities, management, and service providers, continuing the commercial frontage along 17th Street. These interlocking bar-buildings are connected by a network of open breezeways and staircases designed to maximize residents’ access to natural light and air while maintaining strong visual and social connections throughout the community.
Landscape Architecture
Along the western portion of the property are a variety of outdoors community spaces, each designed to serve the varied emotional and social needs of each resident. To the northwest portion of the site is a lawn area for sports and other leisure activities as well as organic community garden beds, and barbecue area.
