Treehouse: Innovative Multifamily Housing in San Diego’s Banker’s Hill

Treehouse is an eight‑story multifamily development in San Diego’s Bankers Hill that demonstrates how policy and design intersect to address the city’s housing needs. Replacing three low‑density buildings with 107 new homes, the project delivers much‑needed housing in a walkable, transit‑served neighborhood near downtown.

Enabled by San Diego’s Complete Communities program, Treehouse shows how local policy can support higher‑density development and meaningful amenities. Its hybrid structure—five floors of Type IIIA wood framing over four floors of Type IA concrete—offers an efficient, cost‑effective approach to mid‑rise construction.

Community is central to the design: a ground‑floor amenity suite encourages resident interaction, while the eighth‑floor “Treehouse” roof deck and landscaped trellis provide expansive views and outdoor gathering space. Integrated biophilic and landscape elements further connect residents with the surrounding environment.

Led by the project’s architects and development team, this tour highlights the challenges and opportunities of designing within San Diego’s evolving regulatory framework and how thoughtful architecture contributes to resilience, livability, and equity.

Submitted for AIA CES approval.

Learning Objectives

1. Assess how San Diego’s Complete Communities and Build Better SD initiatives shape multifamily housing development and enabled this project’s implementation.
2. Determine the critical design challenges of podium construction and stormwater management in mid‑rise residential buildings, and how they are addressed through coordination with the City of San Diego.
3. Differentiate alternative construction methods permitted by the City—such as substitutions for standard wood framing in Type IIIA construction—and apply understanding of how areas of refuge can serve as alternate means of egress.
4. Evaluate placemaking and amenity design strategies—such as biophilic design, green roofs, garden walls, and podium landscaping—and how they enhance community interaction and resident wellness in high‑density housing.

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