Los Patios is a mixed-use development uniquely located in the heart of San Diego’s culturally vibrant neighborhood of Barrio Logan.  The project breaths new life into a long-time vacant lot without erasing any historical structure or displacing a single local resident.

Beyond the wonderful benefits of its location, two blocks north of Chicano Park, Los Patios utilizes an environmentally passive design strategy that is organized around a central patio, which provides open air access to each loft-suite. Each loft is paired with an individual patio-balcony and is designed with large floor to ceiling glass openings to promote cross ventilation and natural light while maximizing and framing the beautiful sunset views to the Bay, Coronado Bridge and the Downtown Skyline.

The central communal patio interlays with the commercial units covered space (zaguán) and their sidewalk café extensions to promote much desired interactions between the residents, the commercial patrons and the curated community events in the neighborhood.

Los Patios is inspired by Mexican “Vecindades”, a kind of tenement where individual apartments encircle a central patio. The term comes from the “vecino” or “neighbor.”

Los Patios environmentally passive strategies and socio-cultural aspirations offer an artistic yet pragmatic solution for “workforce” housing.

Photography credited to Carlos Turrubiartes and Hector M Perez.