2014 - Washington DC, USA

CityCenterDC

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Designed to be human-scaled in contrast with the imposing scale that characterises the surrounding area, the buildings step down from ten storeys at the perimeter of the site to frame a central plaza, a civic focus where the streets and pathways converge. The gateway to the plaza is a glass ‘jewel box’ containing two elevators, which provides a kinetic landmark for the scheme.

The gateway features a dramatic large-scale LED installation on the walls and soffit. Further extending the public realm, a park in the north-west corner of the site includes a landscaped pool and fountains, and is intersected by diagonal pathways, which echo the pattern of alleyways through the development.

The high-density, mixed-use scheme is designed to bring everything together, creating a low-carbon, pedestrian friendly quarter. Designed to achieve LEED gold rating, the landscape, office and apartment buildings are oriented according to the pattern of the sun and incorporate green roofs to absorb water for recycling – the scheme aims to recycle 100 percent of the water used on site.