The Six

The housing building by Brooks + Scarpa in Los Angeles features a courtyard that has large openings and a green roof, visually connecting the space to the street on the lower level beyond.

The Six is a 52-unit affordable housing project that provides a home, support services and rehabilitation for previously homeless and/or disabled veterans. It is located in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles. Offering shelter and comfort, the project breaks the prescriptive mold of the traditional shelter by creating public and private “zones” in which private space is deemphasized, in favor of large public areas. The organization of the space is intended to transform the way people live-away from a reclusive, isolating layout towards a community-oriented, interactive space.The ground level contains offices, support spaces for the veterans, bike storage and parking, while the second level has a large public courtyard. Surrounded by four levels of housing units with balconies wrapped with a wooden screen made from recycle planking. The courtyard has large openings with green roofs that visually connect the space to the street on the lower level beyond. This allows the tenants to enjoy a secured open space while still connecting to the larger community.

The Six incorporates energy efficient measures that exceed standard practice, optimize building performance, and ensure reduced energy use during all phases of construction and occupancy. These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; utilizing low flow fixtures and storm water management; shaping and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow distribution.