海角视频

Capitol Crossing, Center Block

Washington DC, USA

海角视频 played a key role in shaping plans for a transformational new area of regeneration in the heart of the US capitol.

Capitol Crossing is a masterplanned area of regeneration located in Washington鈥檚 Central Business District. The seven-acre site spans three city blocks and offers 2.2 million ft虏 of primarily commercial office, residential, hotel and ground floor retail space.

We provided MEP engineering, facade engineering, energy modeling, and design services on the center block 鈥� a residential tower and a hotel tower above ground level retail. The first phase of the wider mixed-use development 鈥� the north block commercial building 鈥� completed in 2021, with further phases currently on pause. The next phase will focus on the hotel and residential buildings.

A residential tower and a mixed-use hotel tower is planned to stand above ground level retail at the center of an area of regeneration in the capitol.

Central to the development has been a focus on sustainable design, which has spurred the pursuit of WELL and LEED Gold and Platinum certifications.

The project incorporates sustainability features including 45,000ft虏+ of green roofing to help mitigate heat island effect and addresses storm water runoff.

The complex spans the busy 395 highway, restoring pedestrian links above and re-connecting neighborhoods.

Challenge

Planned as the first 鈥渆co-district鈥� in the nation鈥檚 capital, the two new towers will be connected via a retail podium, with an integrated walkway through the site to promote the retail components.

The site is built on top of an existing four-level garage and loading dock as well as spanning part of the busy 395 highway, restoring pedestrian links above the highway and re-connecting neighborhoods.

The Center Block, designed by Ennead, consists of two distinct yet complimentary volumes: the 150-unit residential tower and a 221-key boutique hotel linked by a shared podium, both of which will ultimately be flanked by the development鈥檚 commercial office buildings on adjacent blocks to the North and South.

One of our most challenging technical inputs would focus on maximizing the thermal efficiency of the envelope to help ensure the sustainability of the overall development.

Solution

The podium connects the two volumes and is composed of white polished concrete, offering a modern twist to the masonry and terrazzo material palette prevalent in the area. The glass and aluminum street fronts and bronze accents echo materials used on the hotel鈥檚 facade. The project creates a network of public and semi-public spaces through a diverse mix of programs, such as outdoor gathering spaces, food and beverage outlets, casual meeting and lounge spaces, and open lobbies.

Our energy modeling and facade engineers worked closely to ensure the thermal efficiency of the envelope design, with triple-glazed windows, an efficient window-to-wall ratio and a clear daylighting strategy.

Our experts produced a framework of sustainability principles for the project, together with identifying sustainability goals with specific metrics that are in line with the aspirations of the client, as well as achieving 2030 compliance and carbon savings. We developed three benchmarking studies of the sustainability of the scheme, as well as conducting a comprehensive sustainability review ahead of schematic design submission.

The project incorporates numerous sustainability features throughout the entire development including more than 45,000ft虏 of green roofing that mitigates heat island effect and addresses storm water runoff. Landscaped areas have been incorporated on roof terraces at various levels to offer building occupants and visitors access to fresh air, natural light, and vegetation. Other features include advanced energy recovery systems, indoor air quality controls, water conserving plumbing fixtures, and the elimination of supplemental irrigation help minimize consumption of energy and resources. The project鈥檚 residential tower targeted LEED Gold Certification, while the hotel tower targeted LEED Platinum Certification. Both were also designed to track WELL certification.

Our sustainability team supported a strategy to reduce the intensity of water usage across the site and maximize the opportunities around rainwater recycling, with onsite collection, treatment, storage and redistribution.

The residential building, which is composed of polished concrete, glass, aluminum, and accented by wood elements, includes studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units as well as fifty affordable housing units. The penthouse includes amenity space and a rooftop lounge.

Located on the south side of the block and connected to the residential tower by a north-south lobby, the hotel is distinguished by a facade of a bronze-colored grid infilled with glass and aluminum windows and alternating textured glass panels. The playful facade serves as a counterpoint to the larger-scale buildings clad with taut glass curtainwall facades and establishes the hotel as an identifiable centerpiece within the Capitol Crossing Development and the surrounding neighborhood. The hotel includes high-end amenities, such as a gym, spa, and rooftop restaurant, bar, and lounge.

Value

Our multidisciplinary team worked closely together and with the wider design team to ensure the client鈥檚 aspirations are fully embedded in the design, pushing the sustainability scope of the project while working within the vision of the design intent and constraints of the site.

The proposed development will activate and regenerate a key part of the city鈥檚 landscape and will help to connect neighborhoods previously divided by the busy highway.