Petworth, Washington DC
Previously the site of a car repair shop, this new five story 40-unit residential building is right around the corner from a vibrant Georgia Ave and Upshur Street NW. The building consists of two bedrooms and one bedroom condos, a rooftop amenity space, and a unique ramped entry. The architectural design incorporates a brick and metal façade reminiscent of old factory warehouses.
Owner: Lock 7
Contractor: Kinsley
Photographer: Studio Trejo
Park View, Washington DC
Ten unit multifamily residential building.
Owner: 10 Square
Contractor: 10 Square
Photographer: Studio Trejo
16th Street Heights, Washington DC
Previously the site of a used car lot, a new four story 26-unit residential condo building contributes to the continued growth on Georgia Ave NW. The building includes two story units on the upper levels with private roof patios, bike parking, 5 vehicular parking spaces, and a landscaped bioretention area.
Owner: Lock 7
Contractor: Landmark
Photographer: Studio Trejo
Atlas District, Washington DC
Mixed-use building with one retail space and six boutique one bedroom apartments.
Owner: Monarch Urban
Contractor: Monarch Urban
Photographer: Studio Trejo
2106 Vermont Ave NW, Washington DC
The imperative for resilient housing concepts has never been greater. The three challenges of unprecedented urban population growth, drastically increasing climate change impacts and the disturbing sociocultural trends of divisiveness, tribalism and social isolation, are exposing the ineptitude of traditional housing solutions. Coliving, on the other hand, has the potential to make a difference with its inherent sustainability and its self-fulfilling reliance on community in the biggest sense. 2106 Vermont Ave NW is the creation of a design prototype for urban coliving providing 9 residential units, 51 bedrooms, unit and building congregation spaces, and a retail space to link it to the neighborhood.
The main facade engages Vermont Avenue with its massing as well as the implementation of brick detailing paired with wood paneling. The fenestration is strategically placed to optimize daylighting and minimize heat gain, contributing to the energy efficiency of the units.
The project provides opportunities for the blending of indoor and outdoor space both within and beyond the coliving units. The rooftop amenity space promotes and encourages community, while the private bedroom and shared unit balconies allow for a place of solace; each contributing to the mental wellness of the occupants.
The court in the center of the building allows for additional light and air to enter the units and carves out additional space for unit balconies, affording occupants with a more secluded experience removed from the street and alley.
Owner: Outlier
Contractor: Harbor Builders
Photographer: Jessica Marcotte
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
Brookland, Washington DC
Brooksrow is situated on a commercial section of 12th St NE between Franklin St and Everts St, in the heart of the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, DC. The site, previously occupied by an abandoned auto body shop and a church, now contains 22 units in 11 row houses, all on one lot. Each building contains an upper and lower condominium unit. Units range in size from two bedrooms to three bedrooms with a private roof deck. The building’s massing and material application stagger across the site vertically and horizontally to form a dynamic façade composition and provide privacy for individual owners at outdoor spaces. The exterior material palette includes cedar siding, ironspot brick, and black metal embellishments.
Owner: Lock 7 Development
Contractor: UIP
Photographer: Jessica Marcotte
Mt. Vernon Square, Washington DC
This urban infill project is located in the Mount Vernon Square Historic District. The once parking lot along M Street NW, fronts a block filled with an eclectic collection of architecturally diverse residences. Unlike other areas within the district, the rich architectural fabric along this street is comprised of individual unmatched houses that were built from the 1850s to the 1920s. The pair of façades were designed to each have a separate aesthetic that also refers to the surrounding historic rowhouses. The project’s masonry detailing successfully organized the front facades, emulating the consistent rhythm of unique façade patterns found along this block.
Designing the pair of façades to each have a separate aesthetic specifically references the surrounding historic character and allows both the history and architectural diversity of the block to be sustained for years to come. The heights of the new houses comfortably fit with their neighbors by placing the mansard house against the short two-story flat and locating the taller three-story house to align with its adjacent three-story historic neighbor. The facades are articulated by a variety of brick coursing patterns and string courses, including a band of header courses at the top of the second floors and a stacked bond pattern for the top floor of the three-story house. The masonry detailing successfully organizes the front facades, emulating the consistent rhythm of the unique façade patterns found along this block.
The design also supports the well-being of its occupants. The project scope focused on enhanced building performance by meeting today’s energy standards. This included optimizing the HVAC systems, maximizing fresh air, both mechanically and through operable fenestration, and providing ample natural light. Each unit also has access to private outdoor space. The backyard provides an intimate patio space for the two lower-level units and the rooftop decks provide an expansive space with city views for the upper-level units. The proximity to an active commercial corridor and neighborhood amenities also promotes walkability.
Owner: Lock 7 Development
Contractor: Harbor Builders
Photographer: Jessica Marcotte