Mass timber offers renewable resources, reduced carbon footprint, quicker construction, and a potentially less disruptive construction process for neighbors while also delivering a natural wood aesthetic. Modular construction techniques provide flexibility and adaptability in design and productivity. Building sustainable features include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, water, and energy-saving features, construction material efficiencies, a bike storage and repair station, and electric vehicle charging.
Sustainable landscape elements include native plants, stormwater mitigation, an on-site garden, and water-saving features. The courtyard is positioned to create privacy for residents while also being tucked away from the surrounding buildings. The site is conveniently located near the Sutter Health-affiliated Palo Alto Medical Foundation and within safe walking distance to bus lines, the VTA, commercial, service, and recreational amenities along the El Camino corridor, including grocery stores, schools, parks, a community center and restaurants. MiLA offers more than housing – it delivers access, opportunity, and stability.
Mass Timber
The design reimagines the traditional concrete podium by using mass timber construction. Four levels of light wood framing sit atop a base of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels supported by mass timber columns and beams. The result is a warm, biophilic environment that also reduces embodied carbon. Compared to concrete or steel, mass timber is lighter and more sustainable, allowing for smaller foundations and a lower overall environmental impact.
Modular Construction
Above the timber base, four levels of precision-built modular units will be constructed off-site and delivered ready to assemble, allowing for faster construction, less neighborhood disruption, and a significant reduction in material waste. This thoughtful combination of cutting-edge construction methods ensures a more efficient, environmentally conscious, and community-friendly build.
Mass Timber
The design reimagines the traditional concrete podium by using mass timber construction. Four levels of light wood framing sit atop a base of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels supported by mass timber columns and beams. The result is a warm, biophilic environment that also reduces embodied carbon. Compared to concrete or steel, mass timber is lighter and more sustainable, allowing for smaller foundations and a lower overall environmental impact.
Modular Construction
Above the timber base, four levels of precision-built modular units will be constructed off-site and delivered ready to assemble, allowing for faster construction, less neighborhood disruption, and a significant reduction in material waste. This thoughtful combination of cutting-edge construction methods ensures a more efficient, environmentally conscious, and community-friendly build.
Sustainability
Modular assembly eliminates waste production, typically an issue associated with conventional building construction. The building’s sustainability features include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, water, and energy-saving features, construction material efficiencies, a bike storage and repair station, and electric vehicle charging. Sustainable landscape elements include native plants, storm-water mitigation, an on-site garden, and water-saving features.
Project Details
Facts
Unit Plan Sizes: 465-1,175 sq. ft.
Number of Units: 90 du
Site Area: 0.87 ac
Number of Stories: 5
Parking: 34 spaces (0.37 sp/du)
Construction Type: IIIA
Certification: Green Point Rated
Certification: Pursuing LEED Gold
Project Team
- EAH Housing
- KTGY
- Jett Landscape Architecture + Design
- BKF
- Nibbi Brothers General Contractors
- DCI Engineers
- FARD Engineers
- Candela Engineering
- Axiom
- Prefab Logic
- PFL Engineering
- Guerdon
- SmartLam
- Kinsol
- Ryan Young
Awards
- Merit Award | Best-On-the-Boards Affordable Housing Community
