Sierra Crossing is an achievement for our client, Valley Teen Ranch, an organization dedicated to serving and housing young people at risk of homelessness in the Fresno area. Through effective modular design, the small housing campus supports the construction of 96 new units funded by donors, on an infill site challenged with overhead powerlines. Working within limited space and budget, KTGY’s architects craft a simple but innovative design that gives transitional age youth a dignified and independent housing option with the support they need to thrive.
The designers’ principal move is to create an indoor/outdoor space between the buildings, giving the community an intentional center on this oddly shaped site. The community features a gated entry with onsite support offices, a covered outdoor area and common laundry. The far side of the site, unsuitable for housing, is given over to a field, garden and playground. The design team worked with the module manufacturer to design simple one-bed units that were lifted onto the foundation and nested together. With the electrical and plumbing built in, all systems are connected onsite, greatly reducing the construction timeline. Through a high level of coordination and humble but expert design, the development came together in a short time to the long-term benefit of the entire community.
