The Black Panther
Located in West Oakland, The Black Panther is a groundbreaking affordable housing community that supports very low-income and formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with local non-profit Oakland and the World Enterprise (OAW) and McCormack Barron Salazar (MBS), MWA helped design a five-story apartment building with residential, community, and commercial spaces. Situated just three blocks from BART, the development is a transit-oriented community with convenient access to downtown Oakland, San Francisco, and the entire Bay Area.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Oakland, CA
OWNER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
DEVELOPER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Construction
SIZE
115,462 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2024
SUSTAINABLE ELEMENTS
LEED Gold Certified
AWARDS
2023 AIA Merit Award
PHOTOGRAPHER
David Papazian
The Black Panther
The Black Panther
The Black Panther
The Black Panther
Located in West Oakland, The Black Panther is a groundbreaking affordable housing community that supports very low-income and formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with local non-profit Oakland and the World Enterprise (OAW) and McCormack Barron Salazar (MBS), MWA helped design a five-story apartment building with residential, community, and commercial spaces. Situated just three blocks from BART, the development is a transit-oriented community with convenient access to downtown Oakland, San Francisco, and the entire Bay Area.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Oakland, CA
OWNER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
DEVELOPER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Construction
SIZE
115,462 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2024
SUSTAINABLE ELEMENTS
LEED Gold Certified
AWARDS
2023 AIA Merit Award
PHOTOGRAPHER
David Papazian
Located in West Oakland, The Black Panther is a groundbreaking affordable housing community that supports very low-income and formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with local non-profit Oakland and the World Enterprise (OAW) and McCormack Barron Salazar (MBS), MWA helped design a five-story apartment building with residential, community, and commercial spaces. Situated just three blocks from BART, the development is a transit-oriented community with convenient access to downtown Oakland, San Francisco, and the entire Bay Area.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Oakland, CA
OWNER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
DEVELOPER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Construction
SIZE
115,462 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2024
SUSTAINABLE ELEMENTS
LEED Gold Certified
AWARDS
2023 AIA Merit Award
PHOTOGRAPHER
David Papazian
Located in West Oakland, The Black Panther is a groundbreaking affordable housing community that supports very low-income and formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with local non-profit Oakland and the World Enterprise (OAW) and McCormack Barron Salazar (MBS), MWA helped design a five-story apartment building with residential, community, and commercial spaces. Situated just three blocks from BART, the development is a transit-oriented community with convenient access to downtown Oakland, San Francisco, and the entire Bay Area.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Oakland, CA
OWNER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
DEVELOPER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Construction
SIZE
115,462 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2024
SUSTAINABLE ELEMENTS
LEED Gold Certified
AWARDS
2023 AIA Merit Award
PHOTOGRAPHER
David Papazian
Located in West Oakland, The Black Panther is a groundbreaking affordable housing community that supports very low-income and formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with local non-profit Oakland and the World Enterprise (OAW) and McCormack Barron Salazar (MBS), MWA helped design a five-story apartment building with residential, community, and commercial spaces. Situated just three blocks from BART, the development is a transit-oriented community with convenient access to downtown Oakland, San Francisco, and the entire Bay Area.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Oakland, CA
OWNER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
DEVELOPER
Oakland and the World Enterprises Inc.
CONTRACTOR
Branagh Construction
SIZE
115,462 SF
ESTIMATED COMPLETION
2024
SUSTAINABLE ELEMENTS
LEED Gold Certified
AWARDS
2023 AIA Merit Award
PHOTOGRAPHER
David Papazian
Fir Grove APARTMENTS
Tucked in a forested neighborhood in Vancouver, Washington, Fir Grove Apartments provides 92 units of workforce housing. Developed by Ginn Group, this community provides 2- and 3-bedroom townhomes that respond to the city’s growing need for housing families. MWA partnered with the client to design a neighborhood feel that balances efficiency with livability, offering residents comfort and connection to the surrounding landscape.
PROJECT CONTACT
LOCATION
Vancouver, WA
DEVELOPER
Ginn Group
SIZE
150,230 SF
COMPLETED
2024
PHOTOGRAPHER
Carlos Rafael
MAXIMIZING DENSITY WITH EFFICIENT PLANNING
The project goal was to maximize housing density while creating a community that feels like home. MWA developed efficient unit types, each 14 feet wide, that could be repeated across the site. This streamlined design approach simplified construction, permitting, and cost management.
To create visual interest without relying heavily on costly material selection, MWA created variation in massing, roof articulation, building heights, and color. Subtle shifts in massing and depth create shadows and provide character. Board-and-batten siding grounds the buildings at the base, contrasting with horizontal lap siding above. These strategies balanced cost with long-term value, achieving durability while sustaining architectural interest.
Gabled rooflines group the units in pairs and triplets, creating a sense of welcoming and home while providing an engaging design.
PRIORITIZING FAMILY LIVING
Unit layouts prioritize family living. Three-bedroom homes include a ground-floor bedroom for multi-generational households or residents with limited mobility. Kitchens are oriented to the courtyard, reinforcing safety and social connection. Every unit includes in-unit laundry, and heat pumps provide efficient heating and cooling, improving indoor air quality and resilience during wildfire smoke events.
Each unit features a private patio or yard that opens onto the shared courtyard, allowing residents to enjoy time outside while choosing their level of interaction with neighbors.
A SAFE, HEALTHY, COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT
Fir Grove Apartments foster a safe, family-oriented environment. A central courtyard forms the heart of the community, framed by preserved mature fir trees that anchor the site. Play is a central feature to the site: the courtyard includes a playground visible from porches and kitchen windows, allowing parents to watch children at play while cooking dinner or enjoying time on their porch.
A community center welcomes residents and visitors to the site, featuring a gated dog park, an indoor gathering space, a kitchen, and a gym, which supports resident wellness and provides opportunities for connection.
The location, across from an elementary school and adjacent to a recreational trail and creek, situates families within walking distance of education, play, and nature. With a busy roadway at the site’s edge, the design includes heavy landscaping, a perimeter fence, and a gate at the entrance that buffers residents from traffic and creates gradients of privacy, transitioning from public to private.
DESIGN FOR CONNECTION
Fir Grove seeks to create a sense of belonging. Stepped building forms and staggered windows preserve privacy while maintaining daylight. Rooflines break up the massing with gabled segments, creating a rhythm that feels residential and approachable.
Buildings are arranged in a V-shape, framing the central courtyard.
Preservation of existing tall fir trees was central to the site plan, providing shade, identity, and continuity with the natural setting. Residents enjoy both front porches and private backyards, extending indoor living spaces outward and encouraging interaction with neighbors and nature. Landscape buffers and porch screens further balance openness with personal space, contributing to a community that feels both welcoming and respectful of individual needs.
