120 Hawthorne is a new 230-unit residential building located in San Francisco’s trendy SoMa district. The project fronts both Folsom Street and Hawthorne Street, wrapping the corner building at 655 Folsom. Active retail lines the ground level on both streets, with 13 floors of residences above.

The massing of 120 Hawthorne has been carved to maximize the use of the irregularly shaped site, and to unify new and existing open space on the interior of the block. A newly created rear courtyard will connect to the existing SoMa Square, significantly increasing the size of the block’s open space and improving internal circulation. Common terraces and balconies along both Folsom and Hawthorne will contribute to the urban design goals of this dense project.

The building’s facades have both been designed to relate to the immediate context of their respective streets and make individual architectural statements. The Folsom Street design responds to the major road it faces with a primarily glazed façade, complementing its existing neighbors while remaining light and delicate. Aluminum fins and a distinctive sculptural bay accentuate the verticality of this face.

The residential lobby entry is located on quieter Hawthorne Street. Here, the façade is punctuated with staggered precast panels and glazing. The windows are surrounded by deep aluminum frames, providing depth to the facade. At the 9^th floor, the building sets back from the street, and the façade becomes more transparent, broken up by aluminum fins of its own.