Project 0594: Vine Terrace Apartments (also Nob Hill Court), San Francisco, California, 1971

Scope and content:

Design, construction drawings and supervision for a 48 unit apartment building.

Extended Description: Sited in downtown San Francisco, a major issue in the design of this 48 unit apartment complex was the need to create a quiet retreat sheltered from the noisy interference and potential dangers of urban life. An image of medieval cities with their protective walls was evoked in Willis' mind. At Nob Hill Court, the medieval wall becomes inhabitable space with a fortress-like facade. The building turns away from the threatening presence of the street to focus on a peaceful open air courtyard interior to the site. A two-story entry lobby with sweeping circular stair is carved from the parking garage that forms the base of the building and the private court.

Willis transforms the issue of security into a sense of permanency by maximizing the plan and volume of the primary living space of each unit. Large windows flood the interior spaces with light; door and ceiling moldings provide rich details that offer a textural contrast with the plaster walls. Fireplaces, a traditional symbol of home, contribute to the ambiance of warmth and serenity.

The facade of the building, reminiscent of a stone outcropping, is softened by the use of wood shingles. The mullioned patterns of the wood windows further reduce the scale, offering a degree of detail found in single-family homes.

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