Architecture Workshop was selected by the development team to provide architectural design consulting services (Eric Colbert Executive Architect). Portner Place is a 366-unit, mixed-use development at a high profile intersections in Washington DC.
The development fronts two separate streets. The northern building is 8 stories with 96 affordable housing units and includes amenities such as a fitness room, rooftop deck and community garden. The larger southern building includes 270 market rate apartments in 11 stories and 15,000SF of retail. This wing includes a ground floor fitness room, yoga and club room.
The design is inspired by the neighborhood’s historic significance for pioneering Jazz music.
The primary move was to modulate the large building façade to express individual unit massing via the use of a rich material palette that included metal, concrete and sunshades, as well as various colored wood tones. Select units pop-out of the façade in a playful staccato rhythm that break up the mass and provides bay-windows with dramatic views out as well as creating balconies for the units above.
The core of each building is highly articulated and culminates in a dramatic rooftop trellis with photovoltaic panels.