competitions | Project Categories | Square 134 Architects

OSLOatlas

September 19, 2021 / Comments Off

Atlas District, Washington DC

OSLOatlas is the recipient of a 2017 Washingtonian Award in the multi-family category and a finalist for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) 2018 Real Estate Trends awards.

OSLOatlas is an urban infill project on Florida Ave NE in the growing Atlas district. The area has seen a rapid influx of young professionals in the last ten years. The development caters to this group with on-trend boutique group living. The building is an eight-unit multifamily project. Each of the eight units has five bedrooms, each with a private bath. This unique layout makes the units ideal for single professionals. The monolithic modern façade clad in manganese ironspot brick, is split down the center by a monumental entry court. The entry court design was partially driven by the need for an accessible ramp as well as the design team’s desire to provide a transition from busy Florida Avenue to the building entry. The ramp floats above a serene communal terrace located at the cellar level. The back of the structure brings vibrant color to an otherwise dull alley area. The rear façade contains a 40-foot-high, brightly colored mural by a local artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer. The building massing and stark materials create a striking and minimal design that elevates the structure from conventional new construction to a building with detailing and finishes typical of high design modernism.

Owner: Ditto Residential

Contractor: Ditto Residential

Photographer: Jessica Marcotte

South Cathedral Mansions

September 16, 2021 / Comments Off

South Cathedral Mansions, Washington DC

South Cathedral Mansions is a historic landmark in the Woodley Park neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C. Prior to renovation the building contained 92 units. At project inception, the building had many large, dated and inefficient units. The Square 134 renovation reconfigured units for improved layout efficiency and added 39 units for a new unit total 131 units. The renovation brought all units to “Class A” standard of finish, added several amenities. The design team worked closely with the owners to obtain both Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) approvals for the project.

In 2017, the project received the Condominium Industry Award in Excellence for the Best Washington/Baltimore Apartment Community Renovation from Delta Associates. See all of the 2017 award winners here.

Owner: CAS Reigler

Contractor:

Photographer: Jessica Marcotte

Linden Flats

September 15, 2021 / Comments Off

Atlas District, Washington DC

Linden Court is tucked behind the iconic Atlas Theater, a landmark and active performing arts center that was built in 1938 and served as inspiration for H Street’s moniker, the Atlas District. Linden Court was originally developed as ten rowhomes, six of which were combined and converted into a commercial property in the 1940s.

From the 1960s on, 1313-1323 Linden Ct NE was home to City Auto Repair, a locally-owned-and-operated body shop. In 2015, Monarch Urban acquired the property and began plans for its redevelopment into four luxury townhomes and a mixed-use commercial building. The 3BR/3BA townhomes feature private backyards, garage parking, and sweeping views of Capitol Hill from the private roof decks. The end unit is a commercial building with two units, one of which will have a dramatic 20-foot-high ceiling in the front of the space.

2019 NAHB Best in Living Gold Winner for Multifamily Adaptive Reuse

2021 AIA|DC & Washingtonian Multifamily Residential Award

Owner: Monarch Urban

Contractor: Monarch Urban

Photographer: Studio Trejo

Four Dimensional Housing

September 12, 2021 / Comments Off

Rome Collective Living Challenge, June 2019

Competition Brief:

Re-imagine collective lifestyles and associated spaces, emphasizing affordability and the Roman context.

Description:

Rome’s success as a city is now its greatest challenge. Every year, millions flock to its fabled piazzas to experience Rome’s rich history and culture, and with its continued popularity has come skyrocketing property values. Residents turn toward smaller and smaller living quarters to find some semblance of affordability. But space is not the solution.

Four-Dimensional Housing introduces the layer of time to the housing equation, empowering participants to use what they need, when they need it. It challenges the traditional model of absolute ownership, creating economic and spatial efficiencies through sharing.

The sharing economy uses technology to enable sharing in ways not otherwise possible, providing a variety of benefits to users. Airbnb brought the sharing economy into the home, but higher levels of efficiency through sharing are possible. Homes can be shared not just for entire days when the owner is away, but also during portions of days when the owner is out.

Four Dimensional Housing proposes time- and space-based sharing in two distinct contexts: existing homes, and in the underutilized air space above Termini Station. Both contexts test the proposal’s ability to adapt today’s conditions to the needs of tomorrow. Big picture: Four Dimensional Housing changes the equation for residents, enabling fuller, richer lives for the people of Rome.