This new construction home is on a corner infill lot in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. In this home, there is an emphasis on site-specific design and seamless integration of the home with the outdoors. Careful consideration and emphasis of landscape design and elements was a priority here. The very exposed corner lot raised slightly above street level meant that most sides of the home are fairly visually exposed so it was even more important here than normal to insure that no elevation of the home was secondary in design or material. The glass “box” entry addresses the house’s corner condition. A play of varying floor levels in the home provides spatial interest and distinguishes room functions in the home without having to use walls to do so.
Despite large areas of window glass, passive solar design strategies such as very large overhangs, deep inset windows and careful window placement ensure great interior light though with relatively modest solar energy gain. On the side street elevation, a “floating” architectural frame element echoes a similar one on the front but remains open to provide solar protection to a second-floor rooftop deck. A large, architecturally integrated planter separated from the dining room by a seamless glass wall blurs the boundary between indoor and outdoor – bringing a sense of garden connection to a space that is raised well above grade level.
Olympic Place Courtyard House uses an L-shaped typology to create a structure that integrates elements of its cultural context, site, and program into a warm and inviting home for the family that lives there. The L-shape of the house was driven by the location of the existing trees and opportunities for harvesting natural daylight and was embraced because of the transparency it offered when circulation was pulled to the inner courtyard edge of the house. Overhangs along the courtyard are sized to allow for passive daylight, taking advantage of the site’s southern exposure.
The courtyard-facing circulation axes are punctuated at their intersection by a three-story space at the heart of the home. A stair wraps around this opening and enables the stack effect to pull warm air up and out of the house through operable windows at the top. The fireplace is another strong organizing element, rising from the foundation all the way through the cantilevered roof opening.
Stucco, cypress siding, and glass are the predominant materials. Stucco is used to emphasize the weight of the home’s plinth, and glass wraps around the main level of the house to allow the cypress-wrapped volumes to float above. Interior walls are pulled through each level to keep the facade open and the interior spaces legible and consistent through the transparent skin.
In addition to the passive sustainable design strategies described above, a geothermal heat pump system provides air at stable temperatures, minimizing the energy required to heat and cool the home.
Berkshire Terminus is located in the heart of Buckhead’s business district at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Piedmont Road. Surrounded by world-class office, hotel and residential high-rises; with easy pedestrian access to numerous restaurants, entertainment venues and a MARTA rail station. Berkshire Terminus has helped transform the district into a walkable, high-density live, work and play community, bringing premium-quality residential living to a traditionally office-focused corridor.
Innovative design is most evidenced in the integration of a mid-rise building within a high-rise environment. Connections to the existing garden plaza and streets enhance the pedestrian environment. An indoor-outdoor extension of the garden plaza gives residents and the public a view into the building’s amenity courtyard, which is oriented to highlight the Atlanta skyline.
The architectural design of Terminus speaks to the surrounding facades of polished, commercial office buildings and high-rise condominiums while at the same time using residential building materials and elements like warm wood accents and bright, colorful sunshades that add warmth and human scale to the Terminus community. The structure further humanizes the pedestrian community with townhouse-style front stoops lining Terminus Drive. These single entry spaces yield a feeling of place and add a residential-quality to the bustling business district. Electric car charging stations, ample bike storage, strong connectivity to the surrounding pedestrian sidewalk system and close proximity to bus and rail provide residents with a wide range of transportation options. A wide range of unit sizes and configurations accommodate a wide variety of lifestyles.
ICC-700 National Green Building Standard’s at Bronze Level are reflected in smaller private floor plans, enhanced community spaces, sustainable water retention. Berkshire Terminus transformed a traditionally office-focused corridor into a high-quality high-density, live/work/play community, making it a lively and engaging urban village day and night. A bridge over Highland Drive provides a gateway for people moving from the offices to entertainment venues along Peachtree.
Elan Westside fills a challenging site with a dynamic new structure. The project consists of a 197 unit wood frame and epi-core apartment building located at the corner of Howell Mill and 14th street on Atlanta’s booming West Side. It anchors an important corner site in the heart of the “Westside Provisions District” – a high-end collection of shopping, dining, and entertainment options – all within a block of the building site.
The program is mixed-use, with 200,000 square feet of residential space and 15,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space. Both street frontages are enlivened with active uses, encouraging foot traffic and a mix of dining and shopping offerings.
The units were in high demand and the occupancy rate is 100%. Residents enjoy amenities that include a central courtyard, pool, and club room. Most apartments also offer dramatic skyline views of the surrounding city.
Rather than succumb to the more common traditional approach or all-glass aesthetic, the exterior features a variety of natural materials including wood, stucco and brick that all serve to add an overall warmth and texture to the structure. Parking is hidden.
