WEST COMMONS ON TWO-SIX

Connecting Urban Living, From One Point to Another

The driving idea behind West Commons on Two-Six was to provide ease of circulation from one point to another. The building has a single exit stair used by residents, guests, and emergency personnel, making it critical to consider how people move around the site and building—both at a leisurely pace and during emergencies. We began by reviewing density requirements and their impact on the overall massing. By pushing the setback closer to the property line, we maximized flexibility for interior unit layouts and amenity spaces but sacrificed exterior occupancy circulation space. This initiated an iterative process of balancing interior circulation with amenity spaces to create a fluid transition between indoor and outdoor, public and private areas.

We studied how the community would interact with the commercial spaces, how residents and guests would use the private amenities, and how these movement patterns informed the placement and adjacency of each space. Special attention was given to corner points, ensuring they both draw people in and provide clear, transparent, and welcoming entrances for easy wayfinding and safety. The resulting single-stair egress design not only enhances safety and entry experience but also offers the community valuable amenity spaces, supports multiple modes of transportation, and maximizes unit size, flexibility, and count. West Commons on Two-Six is a six-story mass timber building with 20 units (50 beds). Rooftop gardens, patios, and shared coworking/café spaces foster community, while elevators, bike/car sharing, and operable windows support accessibility, mobility, and sustainability.