316 12th Street

This unusual project saw the transformation of a one-story commercial building into a five-story mixed-use building, all within the original footprint. The first two floors feature commercial and office space, and were built with glulam columns and beams, and CLT floor panels. Above that sits three stories of market-rate and affordable apartment units built with floor panels point-supported on columns, both made from a different, veneer-based CLT.

This unique combination of framing systems resulted in a project with estimated cost and time savings of 20 to 30 percent, due in large part to the team’s use of factory-built, prefabricated timber components. By retaining the masonry façade of the original structure, the new building fits seamlessly into an historic area of downtown Oakland while still providing modern spaces.

The project served as a pilot for future mass timber affordable housing developments, allowing the team to test varying approaches to lateral systems, acoustic isolation, and interior finishes. 


Watch a short one-minute video of this project, which was selected as a 2023 Wood Design Awards winner. View the full award gallery here.