We are thrilled to announce that The Kelsey Civic Center is a 2026 recipient of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) California Design Awards! This honor celebrates 22 projects that excel in architectural design while making communities better places to live.
Located across from San Francisco’s City Hall, The Kelsey Civic Center provides 112 affordable homes designed for residents with and without disabilities of all backgrounds. The award jury praised the community for the way it fits beautifully into the historic Civic Center neighborhood while creating a welcoming space for everyone.
This recognition is another reminder that accessible and inclusive housing can be beautiful and innovative. By working directly with people with lived experience, we designed an accessible building that goes beyond basic building codes and feels like home.
We are incredibly grateful to the entire project team for bringing this vision to life. Together, we’ve shown that great design can foster true belonging for everyone.
Click here to read more about our specific award.
Click here to view the full list of 2026 winners.
The Kelsey Civic Center was codeveloped by The Kelsey and Mercy Housing California, and designed by WRNS Studio, an architecture and planning firm specializing in high-quality sustainable design, and Santos Prescott and Associates, an architecture and urban design practice acclaimed for the spatial inventiveness and social responsibility of its work. San Francisco-based Cahill Contractors was the construction partner on this project.