PYATOK | Project Work

WILTON COURT APARTMENTS Alta Housing

Palo Alto, California Affordable Housing

Wilton Court sits at the edge of Palo Alto’s Ventura neighborhood – a diverse, mixed-income area, and home to the city’s historic African American and Japanese American communities as well as artists and tradespeople. Wilton Court is the City’s first approved affordable housing project since 2013, and is the inaugural project for the its new Affordable Housing Combining District. Palo Alto permitted fifty-eight apartments affordable to low- and very-low-income households, plus a manager’s unit. Through a partnership with nonprofit Housing Choices, twenty-one apartments are reserved for adults with developmental disabilities, creating further opportunities for Palo Altans to continue to live in their community.

The project's interior design pays special attention to wayfinding through subtle color and texture changes, consistency in locating commonly-used resources and appliances, and accessibility regardless of users’ posture, body size, and mobility. Its L-shaped massing steps from four stories along El Camino Real to one towards the residential neighborhood, creating a semi-enclosed podium-level courtyard with an undeniably “cozy” feel. Sheltered from the bustle of the thoroughfare, the courtyard incorporates landscaping, lounge seating, a trellised gathering area, and a row of trees that enhance privacy.

At the ground floor, offices, a publicly-reservable community room with kitchen, an activity room, and a bike room comprise the project’s storefront, including direct street access. Generous glazing, offset mullions, and a subtle formal zig-zag establish visual and literal lightness while creating additional space for sidewalk planters. Terra-cotta and stucco cladding recall the vernacular of this stretch of El Camino Real, while metal awnings protect apartments from south and west sunlight. Vehicle parking, split between two podium levels, is accessed via a rear alley. A small rear yard includes a preserved mature oak tree and a new stormwater swale, enclosed by a good-neighbor fence.

All-electric energy, 100% EV-compatible parking, solar hot water and power, drought-tolerant plantings, and greywater irrigation contribute to the project’s sustainable performance.

Personnel