800 Unit Residential Development

Completed as BIM Manager and Project Manager for Marlon Blackwell Architects

800 Unit Residential Development is a project that was completed at Schematic Design for a development company out of Washington DC. The goal of the project was to bring a mixed-use development to an underserved neighborhood in the DC area that could revitalize the neighborhood and the surrounding urban fabric.

The primary volume of residential units is elevated, allowing retail and amenity space to occupy the street edge. This provides for a distinct architectural expression composed of planar storefronts along the recessed building base, which accommodates a broad urban sidewalk along the street. The width anticipates crowds of people that will activate the street edge with the potential for cafe seating between the street trees or inset under the overhang of the volume above.

At the northwest corner, amenities occupy the second level. The building form responds by elevating the residential unit massing to the third level. This additional height, gives the northwest corner an iconic presence on the street. Pedestrian, vehicular, and loading access are carved into the urban base. At the courtyard, an amenity building and terraces combine to activate the space.

Each facade has an identity that responds to the orientation and the length of the facade. The north and south elevations are varied at the scale of the building, providing visual and formal relief along the 350’ long surface. The east and west facades are calibrated to mitigate solar exposure with a filigree of fins and rely on the joint between Phase One and Phase Two to scale the building along the shorter length of First and Half Streets.

Rather than reinforcing the perimeter block, the variation between the facades provides an expressive character while not overwhelming the context with a singular system or approach.