Milpitas, California, a city with a population of 77,000 people just north of San Jose, is connected via public transit to San Francisco. There, David Baker Architects, a local office, has completed a 102-unit affordable housing complex.
The residential building located at 355 Sango Court is within walking distance to Milpitas Transit Center, a BART station. It consists of two, all-electric residential buildings set back from the property line, creating dynamic view corridors into a series of open spaces designed by Form/Work, a San Diego landscape architecture office.
The building is clad in white and dark gray panels, and the windows are framed with perforated fins for shading purposes. The balustrades which line the exposed, open-air walkways are made of the same material as the fins for visual consistency, creating a dynamic statement in a burgeoning transit-oriented district.
The $86 million permanently supportive housing complex rises up five stories and contains studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Other spaces within Sango Court include laundry facilities, parking, a playground area, outdoor seating, and a community room stocked with a kitchen. It also houses important wraparound services like therapist offices for residents in need.
A number of Sango Court residents previously faced severe housing insecurity, including Angelique Chisolm. “It was rough, real rough. I didn’t think I’d be able to get a place on my own again,” Chisolm told local Santa Clara County officials. “I feel blessed. I love 355 Sango Court.”
Sango Court marks the first 100-percent affordable housing complex in Milpitas, a city where average rent for a one-bedroom apartment exceeds $2,500. David Baker Architects leveraged modular construction to reduce costs and timelines.
The project’s defining features are the perforated sunshades, balcony fences, and stairs from BŌK Modern that take cues from the context’s historic farmland. The firm previously employed decorative and functional panels on its other residential work, including at Blue Oak Landing, where the product was applied in a sawtooth formation, and at Tahanan Supportive Housing.
At Sango Court, these screens add cooling and visual interest. Weathered steel and concrete were installed at street level, coupled with a welcoming garden entry, open-air lobby, and community-oriented ground floor.
The project was funded by the city of Milpitas, which made a $6.5 million investment, and a $16 million housing bond issued by Santa Clara County.
Moving forward, Santa Clara County is on track to add over 5,000 affordable units spread across ten cities.
View the full article: David Baker Architects designs all-electric, 100-percent affordable housing complex in Milpitas, California, which appeared in The Architect’s Newspaper on March 26, 2025.