Design firm StudioOne Eleven is building on its shipping container work witha new supportive housing project. Watts Works is a joint venturedevelopment from Decro Corp., DaylightCommunity Development and The PeopleConcern, and features 24 studio apartments for low-incomeresidents. It uses shipping containers for the four-story projectand a modular-style construction, both of which drive down costsand boost efficiency.

"Southern California desperately needs housing at all incomelevels. Due to the high costs of new housing, most projects comingon line are focused on the luxury market," MichaelBohn, senior principal at Studio One Eleven, tellsGlobeSt.com. "Even affordable housing is becoming quite expensiveto complete. We are intrigued with alternative constructionmethodologies as one approach to lower construction costs in orderto help alleviate the affordability crisis. During site planning,we also look for alternatives from conventional methods that creategreater value. In this case, steel modular containers work wellwith the site parameters, project scale and unit size, all of whichexpedite the construction schedule and reduce overall costs."

This specific site, located at 9502 S. Compton Avenue, of theproject was also conducive to this style of construction. "As adesign methodology, Studio One Eleven also studied the site andsurrounding neighborhood to understand how to shape the buildingand corresponding garden spaces," says Bohn. "We located themajority of the building mass along 95th Street and used a roofgarden to step the height down towards the adjacent neighbor alongCompton Avenue. We also carved-out a side yard to save an existingheritage tree. This will help screen the building from theneighbors to the south, as well as preserve an asset for theneighborhood."