Webster Eleven | Oakland, CA

Downtown Oakland is the city's main job center and transit hub, and the adjacent Chinatown neighborhood carries a lively commercial district of its own. Between them, a full block at 1100 Webster Street offered a chance to knit the two together while meeting demand for new, higher-density housing near transit and services.

The Martin Group took on that opportunity with Webster Eleven, a full-block mid-rise of 333 homes. The challenge was to add significant density without turning away from the street. BDE Architecture partnered with the client on a building of Type III over Type I construction that pairs clean, contemporary residential architecture with a fine grain and highly activated street presence. Double-height ground floor retail spaces line the majority of the project's frontages, extending the vibrancy of Chinatown's commercial district.

Completed in 2021, W11 strengthens the linkage between Chinatown and Downtown Oakland. Through local art and outward-facing programming, the building anchors itself as a member of the built community, offering residents homes close to work and transit and giving neighbors a more active, connected street life.

Address: 1100 Webster Street, Oakland, CA, 94607

Client: The Martin Group

Number of Units: 333

Construction Type: IIIA / IA

Year Completed: 2021

Nighttime view of a multi-story modern building with commercial spaces on the ground floor and apartments or offices above, with streetlights, cars, and a traffic signal
Modern hotel lobby with wooden slat wall, black chairs, and a gray seating bench
Living room with a black sofa, white armchair, coffee table with books and vases, wall art, wooden kitchen cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a small dining area.
Modern multi-story building with decorative mural on the lower exterior wall, windows, balconies, and a street with parked cars and pedestrians.
Nighttime city street scene with a modern building that has large glass windows, showing a lit interior with people inside, and nearby traffic moving on the road.
A modern multi-story building at dusk with a sign that reads 'Webster Eleven'. The building has multiple balconies, lit windows, and ground-floor retail spaces. Cars are driving past on the street in front of the building, and streetlights illuminate