top of page

66 results found with an empty search

  • Columba Affordable Family Housing

    completed 2024Chula Vista, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS COLLABORATORS Landscape Architect: GMP Landscape Architecture Structural Engineering: DCI Engineers M/E/P Engineer: Gouvis Engineering General Contractor: Emmerson Construction, Inc. PRESS Latest Affordable Housing Project in Chula Vista’s Millenia Urban Village - Times of San Diego Groundbreaking for a $102 million project in Chula Vista - Chula Vista Today AWARDS Columba Affordable Family Housing is a 200-unit affordable apartment complex; the third such community by Chelsea in Millenia, a vibrant 210-acre urban village developed by Meridian Development for Stratford Land. The development features two residential buildings of four/five stories, and a two-story parking structure. One-to-three-bedroom apartment units range from 585 to 1,027 SF. In keeping with the modern aesthetic and overall design of Millenia, the stepped building facades create an attractive, varied roofline with streetscape elements contributing to the pedestrian-friendly community atmosphere. Exteriors featuring siding, stucco, metal panel and ceramic tile accents offer residents a warm, welcoming, and accessible living environment. Interior amenities include two community rooms, a computer lab/lounge, and laundry facilities. Outside, residents have access to two landscaped courtyards totaling more than 35,000 SF and featuring two tot lots, a bocce ball court, eight barbecues with shaded picnic areas, open grass areas, and a community garden. On-site services include adult education and skill-building classes such as computer literacy, English as a Second Language (ESL), art, job counseling, financial literacy, health, and wellness. An on-site after-school program during the school year for school age children offers tutoring, mentoring, arts and crafts and other educational enrichment activities. All services are on-site and free of charge to residents. STATUS completed 2024 SIZE 307,953 SF CLIENT Chelsea Investment Corporation SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record Columba Affordable Family Housing Chula Vista, CA

  • JWDA Architects | Award-winning San Diego Architects

    JWDA Architects is San Diego-based collaborative of architects, designers, and urban planners creating contemporary projects that enhance social value and contribute to a sustainable future. since 1977 Impactful design. Inspired solutions. Simone Little Italy | San Diego, CA JWDA Architects is a uniquely boutique studio for architecture and urban design. Established in San Diego, California in 1977, we are committed to delivering projects and services that promote well-being and enhance the human experience. JWDA has produced award-winning structures throughout Southern California and major cities in Asia with a reputation for sustainable and impactful architecture, design, and planning services, tailored coordination, and seamlessly delivered projects. North City Campus Continuing Education Building | San Diego, CA Project Spotlight Simone Little Italy LOCATION San Diego, CA YEAR COMPLETED 2023 MARKET Mixed-Use, Multifamily Residential Awarded Multifamily Community of the Year by the PCBC Gold Nugget Awards, the Builder's Institute of America's Icon Awards , and other honors, Simone is a 36-story mixed-use residential tower, and currently the tallest building, in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. Simone’s glazed façade and stunning rooftop spaces enhance downtown San Diego’s skyline, as its programming sets a new standard for vibrant, sustainable, and connected community living. Its 27,600 SF site is less than half of a typical city block, yet within that footprint the tower contains 395 market rate and affordable apartments, and five penthouses, with more than 18,700 SF of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. Simone is LEED BD+C Gold certified, and strategically sited near current and future job centers. Residents enjoy stunning city and bay views, convenient access to high quality transit, and a variety of restaurants, retail, and cultural attractions a just steps away. Visit the Simone project page

  • Paul Uong

    Designer Paul Uong Designer with JWDA since 2021 Education: - M. Arch., University of Houston, TX BACK TO TEAM

  • Atmosphere Affordable Housing

    completed 2017San Diego, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS LEED® Silver certified 12 stories 205 residential units COLLABORATORS Interior Design: JWDA, Inc. Landscape Architect: Garbini and Garbini Civil Engineer: Latitude 33 Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers M/E/P Engineer: Emerald City Engineers Design/Build Contractor: Suffolk Roel Construction PRESS AWARDS Merit Award - Engineering News Record Excellence in Energy Leadership Award - San Diego Gas & Electric Ruby Award | Project of the Year - San Diego Housing Federation Award of Merit - Gold Nugget Development of the Year - Our City San Diego Atmosphere Affordable Housing is a 31,000 SF, 12-story, 100% affordable apartment complex providing safe and supportive housing for a diverse downtown San Diego, CA population including homeless individuals, qualifying families, and young adults transitioning out of the foster care system. LEED® Silver Certified, the project contains 205 residential units, each with a private balcony. Common spaces include a community meeting room, computer room and several multi-purpose rooms. Outdoor passive recreational spaces are located at ground floor and 7th level, with a community garden on the 8th. Subterranean parking is included for a total of 186 vehicles, including six accessible stalls. STATUS completed 2017 SIZE 195,000 SF CLIENT Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Interior Designer Atmosphere Affordable Housing San Diego, CA

  • Harrington Heights Affordable Housing

    under constructionSan Diego, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS 15 stories 273 units Nearly 100% affordable housing Nearly 50% permanent supportive housing Resident support services provided by Alpha Project COLLABORATORS Interior Design: Parisi Portfolio Landscape Architect: Schmidt Design Group Civil Engineer: Nasland Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers M/E/P Engineer: Robison Engineers General Contractor: Level 10 Construction PRESS AWARDS Harrington Heights Affordable Housing is a 15-story residential tower located in downtown San Diego CA’s East Village. The project provides relief for hundreds of the city’s lower income and homeless residents, and is comprised of 273 one- and two- bedroom apartments, 270 of which are designated affordable, and nearly 50% of them set aside for permanent supportive housing. Located in downtown San Diego’s East Village, Harrington Heights Affordable Housing is a new and essential resource for low-income and vulnerable residents. The 15-story residential tower will provide 273 studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments, with 270 units designated as affordable housing and nearly 50% set aside for permanent supportive housing. Resident amenities at the 15-story tower include outdoor common areas, shared laundry rooms, multipurpose rooms, community rooms, and on-site supportive services directed by the Alpha Project. The ground floor includes nearly 10,000 SF of commercial space, offices, and spacious lobby and leasing office. The project will serve a mix of residents with diverse needs, including unhoused veterans, families and individuals, and families with members who have intellectual or developmental disabilities, and provide office and administrative space for the Alpha Project for The Homeless . STATUS under construction SIZE 202,837 SF CLIENT Chelsea Investment Corporation SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record Harrington Heights Affordable Housing San Diego, CA

  • Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas

    completed 2021Encinitas, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS 4.3 acre site 114 guestrooms Nine studio rooms Five one-bedroom suites Two presidential suites COLLABORATORS Interior Design: MARKZEFF Landscape Architect: Neri Landscape Architecture Civil Engineer: Hale Engineering Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers M/E/P Engineer: Emerald City Engineers General Contractor: Suffolk Construction PRESS It List 2022: Our Editors' Picks of the Best New Hotels in the World - Travel & Leisure 15 Best Beach Resorts in the U.S . - Travel & Leisure New Clifftop Resort Opens in Encinitas - San Diego Union-Tribune First Look at the New Alila Marea Beach Resort - Robb Report Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas Opens in San Diego - Hospitality Design The Alila Marea Beach Resort Captures California’s Beauty - Interior Design Magazine The 30 Best Hotel Openings of 2021 - Hospitality Design Magazine Soul on Fire: Alila Marea Beach Resort a rare jewel of sustainability - The Coast News Group AWARDS Best Commercial Project - Architizer's Best of LaCantina 2022 Best Resort 2021 - Interior Design Magazine Best Hospitality Project of the Year - San Diego Business Journal CRE Awards Honoree for Best Resort - Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards Taking its name from the Sanskrit word for “surprise,” the Alila brand, acquired by Hyatt in 2019, and represented by JMI Realty and Fenway Capital Advisors, selected JWDA for its first new US build, the Alila Marea Beach Resort. Nestled atop the coastal bluffs in the laid-back beach town of Encinitas, CA, the design of Alila Marea draws inspiration from the area's unspoiled natural landscape and vibrant Southern California beach culture. Approaching the understated resort does provide a surprise of sorts, as it seamlessly merges with the rugged bluffs, sandy shores, and expansive ocean vistas. Framed by natural stone, warm woods, clean lines, and native plantings, the resort fosters a unique and immersive experience that honors the beauty of its surroundings, fostering a deep sense of connection to nature while prioritizing environmental stewardship. The resort is home to 114 spacious guestrooms, nine studio rooms, five one-bedroom suites, and the Ponto and Grandview presidential suites. Coastal and garden views are framed from each chamber, with natural elements and organic lines informed by the landscape. Totaling 1,037 square feet, both presidential suites include floor-to-ceiling windows and double-sided fireplaces that serve both the interior living room and the outdoor living space. Amenities include a 1,000 SF bicycle and beach café, 4,500 SF spa, a fitness center, a 4,105 SF main restaurant and lounge, 1,410 SF restaurant terrace, 1,925 SF outdoor bar, 11,060 SF of meeting space, and three wedding venues. STATUS completed 2021 SIZE 244,469 GSF CLIENT JMI Realty and Fenway Capital Advisors SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas Encinitas, CA

  • Weingart Tower

    completed 2024Los Angeles, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS Developed by Chelsea Investment Corporation 100% Affordable Housing 15 stories of housing and supported living space solar panels and integrated green technologies COLLABORATORS Civil Engineer: Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. Landscape Architect: AHBE Landscape Architect PRESS Largest LA Community for the Homeless Opens - Multi-Housing News LABC's Architectural Awards honors design projects that celebrate the city’s creative legacy and foster community life - The Architect's Newspaper LA's biggest supportive housing complex yet tops out in DTLA - Urbanize LA AWARDS Housing: Multifamily and Affordable Award - Los Angeles Business Council Architecture Awards Multi-Family Development, Supportive Housing - SCANPH Homes Within Reach Awards Concrete Project of the Year, High Rise - ACISCC Weingart Tower is the largest permanent supportive housing development in this history of Los Angeles. A project on behalf of the Weingart Center and Chelsea Investment Corporation, JWDA served as entitlement architect in coordination with architects AXIS Architecture + Design. Weingart Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that provides individuals experiencing homelessness with essential tools necessary to stabilize their lives, secure income, and find permanent housing. The Weingart Tower is a new build featuring 278 residences in a 19-story structure. The project is specifically designed to provide safe, secure, and dignified housing for unsheltered individuals, and includes 228 studio apartments and 50 one-bedroom apartments, with 40 units reserved specifically for veterans. Each of the apartments is fully furnished and includes full kitchen and bathroom facilities. Weingart Tower includes amenities including a fitness room, computer lab, career center, library, bicycle storage, laundry facilities, and terraces with community gardens, all part of Weingart Center’s mandate to remove the barriers that keep people from housing, and addresses the needs of seniors, Veterans, women, members of the LGBTQAI+ community, the formerly incarcerated, and many others experiencing homelessness. STATUS completed 2024 SIZE 19 stories CLIENT Weingart Center Association SERVICES | ROLE Entitlement Architect Weingart Tower Los Angeles, CA

  • 1st and Beech

    under construction San Diego, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS Pending LEED® Gold certification 22 stories 220 market rate and affordable residential micro-units 556 SF average unit size Semi-automated, 25-stall, stacked parking COLLABORATORS Interior Design: VIDA Landscape Architect: EPTDESIGN Civil Engineer: Kettler Leweck Structural Engineer: KOR Structural Electrical Engineer: Salas O’Brien Mechanical Engineer: Robison Engineers Plumbing Engineer: AMPAM Parks General Contractor: Greystar Construction PRESS AWARDS 1st and Beech is a new, 22-story residential tower located in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. At approximately 183,808 SF, the project is comprised of 220 market rate and affordable residential micro-units averaging 556 SF. An expansive roof terrace caps the tower with an interior sky lounge connected to an outdoor pool, spa, fire pit, and kitchen/dining areas. Residential amenities include include a fitness studio, pet spa, bicycle parking. The setting, shape, and height of the 1st & Beech tower is devised to maximize the allowable density. A semi-automated, stacked parking system accommodates 25 parking stalls. STATUS under construction SIZE 183,808 SF CLIENT Greystar SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record 1st and Beech San Diego, CA

  • UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy

    completed 2016La Jolla, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS 17,000 sqft + 5,000 sqft Auditorium 2 Floors 11 Private Offices | 7 Shared Offices Touchdown study workstations Student lounge areas Classrooms Conference Spaces COLLABORATORS Interior Design: JWDA Architects with bkm Office Works Structural Engineer: TTG Engineers M/E/P Engineer: EXP General Contractor: Dempsey Construction PRESS AWARDS Formerly the UC San Diego School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS), the school re-branded itself on a large scale with a new name, greater ambitions, and a state-of-the-art renovation. A year after its re-branding from IR/PS to GPS, the School of Global Policy & Strategy celebrated the return of students and faculty from summer break with a re-opening of its updated facilities. The renovations included a beautification of the 5,000 SF GPS auditorium and complete overhaul of the Building 3. The entirety of Building 3 was transformed with the addition of a new classroom, new “break-out” spaces, student and faculty offices, as well as the remodel of existing classrooms, lobby space, and student lounge. The function of the lobby now offers students and faculty opportunities for social gatherings, personal studies, and a comfort- enhanced setting. Enriched material selection, a strong creative vision, and high-tech features reinvigorate the GPS campus for all users and fortify the school’s reputation as a forward-thinking institution. STATUS completed 2016 SIZE 22,000 SF CLIENT UC San Diego SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy La Jolla, CA

  • Eduardo Franco

    Associate Eduardo Franco Associate with JWDA since 2015 Education: - B. Arch., NewSchool of Architecture & Design - AS Architecture/Architectural Drafting, Bakersfield College BACK TO TEAM

  • The Neurosciences Institute

    completed 1995La Jolla, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS COLLABORATORS Design & Architect of Record: Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects Landscape Architect: Burton Landscape Architecture NSI Lab Mechanical Engineering: TKG NSI Lab Electrical Engineering: Randall Lamb PRESS The Neurosciences Institute soothes, challenges the mind - San Diego Union Tribune AWARDS Energy Efficiency Integration Award - San Diego Gas & Electric National Honor Award - American Institute of Architects Best of Design 1996 - TIME Magazine Honor Award - AIA San Diego Grand Orchid - San Diego Architectural Foundation Engineering Excellence Platinum Award - NYACE Design Honor Award - ASLA Architectural Concrete Award - San Diego ACI 2024 Legacy Award - AIA San Diego The Neurosciences Institute (now home to the Scripps Research Institute) is a research and educational complex, its design inspired by the vision of NSI founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Gerald Edelman for a “scientific monastery.” Comprised of three distinct, yet interconnected buildings linked by walkways and a central plaza, the facility includes laboratories, administrative offices, a research library, and a 352-seat performance space recognized as one of the most acoustically impressive small auditoriums in the United States. In 2014, the Institute moved to smaller quarters. The space is now used by Scripps for its molecular imaging department. STATUS completed 1995 SIZE 56,000 SF CLIENT The Neurosciences Institute / Dr. Gerald M. Edelman SERVICES | ROLE Associate Architect in association with Tod Williams and Billie Tsien The Neurosciences Institute La Jolla, CA

  • Bert Shear

    Principal Bert Shear, RA Principal with JWDA since 1988 Bert Shear is a native San Diegan with decades of experience in architectural design, project management, and construction management. As Principal and Senior Project Architect, Bert oversees technical issues related to all phases of Architectural Design including planning and programming, schematic design, design development, design drawings, and construction documents. As a JWDA lead in specifications and construction administration, Bert also thrives on the job site and excels in his talents for coordination, creative solutions, and communications with and between consultants and contractors, ensuring the most seamless construction process as possible. Education: - B.S. Arch., California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo Registered Architect in: - State of California BACK TO TEAM

  • Hyatt Regency Chongming

    completed 2014Shanghai, China BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS COLLABORATORS PRESS Hyatt Regency Chonming Opens in Shanghai, China - Raman Media Network Hyatt Regency Chongming - Hospitality Design Magazine LJ House, Shanghai Hotel: Gold - San Diego Union Tribune AWARDS Best International Commercial and Special-Use Project - PCBC Gold Nugget Awards Merit Award - AIA San Diego Located in the Dongtan Wetlands of Chongming Island in Shanghai, the Hyatt Regency Chongming Hotel is the first Hyatt Eco-Resort hotel in China. The design for the destination hotel organically integrates traditional Eastern Garden spaces and dispersed elements of holiday resort to create a localized “Modern-Chinese” architectural style. The structure is based on a series of courtyards interwoven with the surrounding landscape and offering breathtaking views of the Dongtan Wetlands. The project celebrates a symbiosis between Eastern and Western cultures, reflecting the classic Jiangnan architectural style popular to the region — characterized by white walls, grey tiles, and bridges — while providing elegant western amenities for guests. STATUS completed 2014 SIZE CLIENT Hyatt Hotels SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record Hyatt Regency Chongming Shanghai, China

  • Simone Little Italy

    completed 2023San Diego, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS LEED® Gold (BD+C) certified 36 stories 395 market-rate and affordable units COLLABORATORS Interior Design: Parisa O’Connell Interior Design Landscape Architect: EPTDesign Civil Engineer: Nasland Structural Engineer: KOR Structural Electrical Engineer: LPG Engineering Mechanical & Plumbing Engineer: Robison Engineering General Contractor: Swinerton Builders PRESS JWDA Wins National Award for Little Italy Apartment Tower - San Diego Business Journal Little Italy Tower Will Go to New Heights - San Diego Business Journal AWARDS Multifamily Community of the Year - BIA Icon Awards Best Multifamily Architectural Design - BIA Icon Awards Best Community Amenity Feature - BIA Icon Awards Multifamily Community of the Year - PCBC Gold Nugget Awards Best Multi-Family Housing Community / 200 DU/Acre or more - PCBC Gold Nugget Awards Best Interior Design: Multi-Family Community / Common Areas/Spaces - PCBC Gold Nugget Awards Best Residential Building Award - American Concrete Institute Simone is a 36-story, 612,579 SF mixed-use residential tower, and upon its 2023 completion, the tallest building in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. Simone’s polished figure enhances the city's expanding skyline while its program reaches new heights as a vibrant, sustainable, and connected community. LEED® Gold BD+C certified, Simone is designed to deliver eco-and-pet-friendly housing near existing and planned job centers. Added offerings include spectacular city and bay views, easy access to high quality transit, and a plethora of restaurant, retail, and gallery options mere moments away on foot. Perched atop a five-story podium, the 405’ tower presents contemporary elegance with exposed concrete, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and architectural projections and offsets augmenting its rectangular form. Simone’s 27,600 SF site is less than half of a typical city block, yet within its small footprint the tower contains 395 market rate and affordable studios, one, and two-bedroom apartments with five penthouses. More than 18,700 SF of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces include 16,600 SF of common outdoor decks equipped with living rooms, chef’s kitchen, and dining areas: a state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio. The tower is topped with a tiered, two-story sky lounge and pool deck with zero-edge pool and spa. Simone provides three levels of underground parking, and 4½ levels of parking in an above-grade podium, with the first level split between parking and a mixed-use residential lobby and leasing offices, a lux mailroom and package center, lounge spaces and co-working office spaces. The parking structure is concealed with cladding comprised of black metal panel and a combination of perforated and translucent screens, that when illuminated at night, creates a soft glow from inside the building along the streetscape. STATUS completed 2023 SIZE 612,579 SF CLIENT Trammell Crow Residential SERVICES | ROLE Design Architect | Architect of Record Simone Little Italy San Diego, CA

  • Lane Field North

    completed 2016San Diego, CA BACK TO PROJECTS < PREVIOUS NEXT > HIGHLIGHTS See the Lane Field Video Story here . Dual-branded, 400-key Marriott hotel 253 SpringHill select service hotel rooms 147 Residence Inn extended stay rooms 365 protected parking spaces within podium COLLABORATORS PRESS AWARDS Lane Field North is comprised of a dual-branded Marriott hotel, leased retail areas for shops and restaurants, and above-grade structured parking. The project consists of a 253-key SpringHill Suites select service hotel and a 147-key Residence Inn extended stay hotel. The dual-branded hotel shares a common lobby, check-in concierge, and elevator bank. Shared function and amenity spaces occur at the top of the podium and include approximately 6,000 SF of meeting space, a dining facility, fitness center, and outdoor pool. The 11-story guest room tower rises above this amenity level. 365 parking spaces are located within the podium. STATUS completed 2016 SIZE 449,321 SF CLIENT Lankford & Associates in partnership with Hensel Phelps & Portman Holdings SERVICES | ROLE Associate Architect in association with John Portman & Associates Lane Field North San Diego, CA

bottom of page