Sister Lillian Murphy Community
Divided into four identifiable wings, this Greenpoint Rated Platinum affordable family development features a network of open-air circulation that provides visual connection to the surrounding neighborhood, maximizes sunlight in outdoor areas, and creates micro-communities within the building and block.
A variety of outdoor spaces throughout offer a range of seating and lush landscaping. On the ground floor, a community room abuts a teen lounge and spills into a courtyard, holding communal space at the heart of the development. At the corner, a stair tower acts as a beacon at the terminus of an urban view corridor, with warm light glowing in the evening through its playful window pattern. Its dynamic, airy interior and privileged views invite residents to use the stairs, encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.
In collaboration with Studio VARA, Associate Architect.
Site Plan
Concept Diagram
Level 1 Plan
1 Lobby
2 Child Development Center
3 Community Room
4 Teen Room
5 Music School
Level 2 Plan
Level 3 Plan
“Not only is Sister Lillian Murphy Community an architecturally striking building, its homes and hallways are alive with the great energy of families who have what they need to thrive,”
-Doug Shoemaker, President, Mercy Housing California
Awards
ULI Americas Award for Excellence, 2025
Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award, Affordable Housing, 2023
AIA National Housing Award, 2023
AIA San Francisco Architecture Design Award, Merit Award, 2023
ASLA Honor Award, Residential Design, 2023
AIA California Design Awards, Honor Award, 2022
ARCHITECT Magazine 2022 Residential Architect Design Awards, Honor Award, 2022
Credits
Photography by Bruce Damonte and Patrik Argast
Videography by Marcus Hanschen