Avanza 490
Brand for affordable housing project in San Francisco, CA | 2021
The building’s name, Avanza, means “forward movement” in Spanish, and the building is constructed atop an underground waterway, expressing this concept both metaphorically and literally. Because we wanted to celebrate the vibrant cultures of this predominantly Latin neighborhood, we conducted historical and onsite research. In the mid-century, cars reigned supreme along South Van Ness. This discovery, along with today’s vibrant street art scene and Latin culture, inspired us to echo these influences in our bilingual signs, our color palette, and overall theme of retro cars. More concretely, we paid close attention to accessibility and durability.
In collaboration with Bridge Housing, the project completed in February 2021.