Directly adjacent to the San Diego Freeway, this urban housing project boasts 22 lofts with two-story living spaces, on-grade parking, and a courtyard that provides a safe environment and encourages neighbor interaction in a tough neighborhood. The simplicity of the dense building plan and the architectural vocabulary is the result of the extremely tight construction budget. Envisioning a new prototype of a four-story rental housing unit, the architect eliminated the elevator and interior corridors, adding the space and cost savings back into the building and its units. Each apartment has oversized glazing, soaring ceilings, and an honest relationship to the exterior urban environment.