While this article was published in late 2005, it is one of the most comprehensive examples of the architectural renaissance in Washington, DC. This is good reading!

What is your favourite new building in DC, architecturally?

My personal favourite for 2006 is 1875 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (below) and is highlighted in this article.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/416043319_d16a2ebb5b_o.jpg

Washington Times, The (DC)
September 10, 2005

Bolder glass, metal

Author: Deborah K. Dietsch , SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Section: ARTS & CULTURE

FALL PREVIEW: ARCHITECTURE

Page: B01

Article Text:
Numerous building cranes swinging over Washington's rooftops testify to the wave of development now overtaking the city. Nearly 25 million square feet of new construction, estimated to total $6.2 billion in land and building costs, is currently under way in the District, according to the nonprofit Washington, D.C. Marketing Center.

With this boom have come signs of growing architectural sophistication in office and residential buildings being finished this fall. Washington may not be ready for Frank Gehry, but the city is showing a more confident attitude toward architecture as bold, glass-and-metal facades rise alongside more traditional masonry frontage.

Developers and building owners seem more willing to take a risk on distinctive design as a way of standing out in the increasingly competitive real estate market. "There is definitely a growing sensitivity to architecture in the city," says developer Brian Coulter of The JBG Companies. "We are stepping things up in terms of increasing the quality of design." Mr. Coulter points to JBG's recent hiring of British superstar Richard Rogers, who co-created the Pompidou Center in Paris, to design a 130-foot-tall office building at 51 Louisiana Ave., NW, at the foot of Capitol Hill. The height of the building has raised objections from Capitol security officials, but the developer hopes to unveil a design this fall.

West of the Capitol, Michael Graves, the postmodernist Princeton, N.J., architect famous for his teapots, has designed the 351,000-square-foot annex to the 1952 E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse at Pennsylvania and Constitution avenues in Northwest. Topped by barrel-vaulted roofs, the red-trimmed, seven-story addition will be occupied this fall.

An edgier federal building being completed later this fall is by the 2005 winner of architecture's top honor, the Pritzker Prize. Thom Mayne of the Los Angeles firm Morphosis, has played up the mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Suitland by dividing its headquarters into a satellite-dish-topped operations building and underground office wing.

Back in downtown Washington, the blocks around the World Bank headquarters now boast some of city's sleekest and most modern facades in the city. On Pennsylvania Avenue at 19th Street, the International Monetary Fund is putting the finishing touches on its newly completed second headquarters, designed by the New York firm Pei Cobb Freed with a prismlike bay of glass.

Across the street at 1875 Pennsylvania Ave., the 13-story office building by Shalom Baranes Associates, a Georgetown architecture firm, is nearly sheathed in a striking skin of glass and metal. It will become the home of law firm Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering next spring.

Baranes is also responsible for designing the Atlantic Building, an amalgam of preserved historic structures and modern 10-story office block now under way at 10th and F streets Northwest, next to Ford's Theatre. It will be interesting to see how new relates to old as the project nears completion late this year.

K Street's canyon continues to be spruced up with new buildings. Nearing completion at the corner of 16th street is an 11-story office block by two Washington-based firms, RTKL and WDG Architecture, which promises to add some dignity. The Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham law firm will take over most of the building in early 2006.

Further east at 12th and K streets Northwest, is the newly completed, 133-unit condo building designed by BBGM Architects & Interiors in brick and precast concrete. The firm also is responsible for the new Embassy Suites hotel on 10th Street - between K Street and New York Avenue in Northwest -that's due to open in November. Architect Nick Giordano says the 14-story, deco-inspired hotel will have a contemporary interior with a 3,000-square foot restaurant.

Next to the hotel, the vacant blocks once the site of the District's old convention center are being turned into a 1,220-vehicle parking lot and outdoor art display while proposals are developed for a new mixed use complex on the site.

London-based architect Foster and Partners, now revising the canopy design for the Old Patent Building, has teamed with Baranes to come up with a plan for offices, restaurants, retail and housing. According to developer Howard Riker of Hines, design alternatives for the site will be made public next month.

Late October will bring the unveiling of the city's most anticipated design, the proposed Nationals ballpark by architect Joe Spear of Kansas City-based HOK Sport - who, when reached by phone, wouldn't comment on the details.

The housing market continues to boom with condominiums rising in neighborhoods all over town. Open-plan "lofts" are the latest craze, prompting local architects to push the envelope with more creative designs than have been seen in years past.

Responsible for some of the most contemporary condos is the District firm Eric Colbert and Associates in Northwest. Among Mr. Colbert's latest projects is the Rutherford, a 64-unit building on 13th and M streets Northwest that will be completed in November. Rhythmic bay windows and panels of brick promise to animate the facades.

Also on 13th Street, across from the Rutherford, the gabled, brick apartment building called the Rialto looks like it might have been built in the early 1900s. Silver Spring-based Torti Gallas and Partners designed the structure, which will be occupied in November, to complement the neighborhood's older apartment buildings.

In Columbia Heights, the architect adopted a similar approach to the 130-unit Park Triangle apartments. Scheduled for completion in December, its cornices and brick facades are meant to complement the renewed Tivoli Theater on nearby Park Road.

While preservationists in other cities are fighting to save their 20th-century modern buildings, Washingtonians prefer to cover them up. A good example is the conversion of the Congressional Quarterly headquarters on 22nd Street Northwest (between Georgetown and Dupont Circle) into 136 condominiums. Hickok Warner Cole Architects encased the modernist concrete structure in a traditional wrapper of brick and stone, a transformation that will be completed next month.

Near the Potomac River, on 12th Street Southwest, the same architects expanded and remodeled the old Blue Cross/Blue Shield building for JBG into a neoclassical pile of granite and precast concrete. The 520,000-square-foot complex is being completed this month, but has yet to be leased.

Also, during the next few months:

* The National Building Museum will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a gala party on Oct. 29 followed by the inaugural L'Enfant Lecture on City Planning and Design in November. The museum will finally unveil its own holdings with the exhibit, "Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights From the Collection," opening Dec. 3.

* Kicking off the fall season, the Washington chapter of the American Institute of Architects is sponsoring its annual Architecture Week, beginning today and continuing through Sept. 18. On the roster of events are tours of loft apartments and the delayed underground Capitol Visitors Center - scheduled to open next fall - for those eager to experience the city's newest architecture.

Caption:
A rendering of the 11-story office building at 1601 K St. NW is at top. The Potomac Center North
(middle) is a design by Hickok Warner Cole architectural firm. The International Monetary Fund's
second headquarters "Hq2" (above) is near completion. [3 Photos, NO CREDIT]

A 13-story office building at 1875 Pennsylvania Ave. will house a law firm. [NO CREDIT]

Copyright 2005 News World Communications, Inc.
Record Number: 200509112053010012

That is an interesting design. Quite a departure from that which surrounds it.

Yes, it is. 1875 Pennsylvania Ave won the Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Merit in Architecture for 2006. The building is even more distinct on the inside. It is connected to the other buildings on that block, and the views from it are breathtaking. The architectual pros say that 1875 Pennsylvania "converses" with the World Bank Building which sits across from it on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Is that the world bank building? Anyway, there is a lot more unique architecture coming to DC. There are a lot of newer glass buildings coming in and mixing with the many buildings of older generations. The John Wilson District Building is one of my favorite understated buildings b/c of the renovation it has undergone and mixes glass w/ the older classical architecture.

There's still a ways to go and there is a lot of the same kind of stuff springing up like along K St, but I think that will definitely change. Hopefully, we'll see more daring designs w/ more colors in the future.

Hey NovaWolverine,

If you are referring to the building pictured in the graphic, it is 1875 Pennsylvania Ave which is across the street from the World Bank complex.

I also like the District Building. I really enjoy the mix of the older and newer elements in one structure! Great choice!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/416043319_d16a2ebb5b_o.jpg
^^^^yep, very nice. very sophisticated.

I don't care for it. Glass does not look good on midrise buildings. New Yorkers should stop imposing their architectural values on Washington cause it just doesn't work here. We have our own feel and look and I prefer it.

How about if it ain't broken don't try to fix it? I like the detail architecture of Washington. The precast limestone, masonry brick and detailed patterns give the impression that the architect put some effort into his/her work, not this blank wall B.S. It feels like the 70s all over again.

I don't care for it. Glass does not look good on midrise buildings. New Yorkers should stop imposing their architectural values on Washington cause it just doesn't work here. We have our own feel and look and I prefer it. Distinct architecture also means creativity.

How about if it ain't broken don't try to fix it? I like the detail architecture of Washington. The precast limestone, masonry brick and detailed patterns give the impression that the architect put some effort into his/her work, not this blank wall B.S. It feels like the 70s all over again.

Silver Springer,

I disagree with you. I think Washington architecture can stand some improvement. It is not just New York architecture. Washington is being exposed to more international architecture from international architects. The graphic of 1875 Pennsylvania Avenu in most initial post is a building done by D.C. based architecture firm. Also, a lot of the newer, more bold buildings are from international architects (London, Chicago, Sweden, NY are a few examples).

The precast limestone and masonry blocks could not look any more dull that it already is. It needs to go. With more sophisticated design, the architect is indeed showing some effort. Having precast masonry that pretty much looks the same on a multitude of buildiings on the same block in effect does show the architects doing it have not put much effort into the design. The new architecture hitting Washington is definitely not the 70's. It is the present and future. Welcome to the beginnings of a world-class city. Bolder, more sophisticated architecture is part of that designation.

IMO, diversity of design is important. This means shapes, colors, materials, size, etc. We can have areas where a certain type of design is most prevalent, and we can even stay fairly dominated by couple designs as a city, but I think DC can still improve architecturally. We don't need to go so far and get some ugly things. I would definitely love for DC to keep its old classical architecture influenced by Italy and France and wherever else, but that type of stuff is expensive also these days.

Silver Springer,

I disagree with you. I think Washington architecture can stand some improvement. It is not just New York architecture. Washington is being exposed to more international architecture from international architects. The graphic of 1875 Pennsylvania Avenu in most initial post is a building done by D.C. based architecture firm. Also, a lot of the newer, more bold buildings are from international architects (London, Chicago, Sweden, NY are a few examples).

The precast limestone and masonry blocks could not look any more dull that it already is. It needs to go. With more sophisticated design, the architect is indeed showing some effort. Having precast masonry that pretty much looks the same on a multitude of buildiings on the same block in effect does show the architects doing it have not put much effort into the design. The new architecture hitting Washington is definitely not the 70's. It is the present and future. Welcome to the beginnings of a world-class city. Bolder, more sophisticated architecture is part of that designation.

This is what people said about the International Modernist designs of the 60's, now we're regreting it. I'm not so fond of modern european architecture. Walls of sameness that lack any detail comes off as lazy to me. I like it when architecture has detail, to me that says effort. Perhaps it's that rendering cause it just looks terrible to me. I've seen the new glass buildings in real life but I would still take the more classical designs with detailed trim and slight massing of gold.

Glass IMO, is only dramtic on tall buildings, because they lack the detail of quality architecture they can pull it off because of the height. Midrise buildings usually have the detail in architecture that tall buildings don't. Know the midrise buildings are loosing on both fronts.

They will look cool at first because the new factor but how will they age, what will be impressive about them? Certainly not the slender height, like a tall drinking glass. Looks as terrible as the planned development on the old convention center site.

I don't see how anyone could have thought modernist design in the 60's and 70's could have looked good in any period in history. It did not look good then, it does not look good now. I think the modernist architecture from the 60's to the 80's is the worst of the worst. The FBI building did not look good when it opened, and it certainly does not look good now. All the urban renewal modernist architecture in SW is in the same book. It did not look good then, does not look good now.

I still hold that a lot of the buildings done here in DC during the mid-part of the 20th century are rather dull. It does not invoke a sense of creativity or sophistication at all to me.

But, I also know that different people have their likes and dislikes. I respect that.

I also like the classical designs, but the developers using the precast concrete or precast brick are not building those buildings with a sense of permanence or durability. If we are going to use more ornamental, classic architecture, it must be done right - and that means more money for design and construction.

And yet people built modernist architecture, loved it at the time, gave it award after award. It was the height of avant garde in its time, like deconstructivism is today.

There is a lesson to be learned from modernism. I'll leave it you to figure it out.

This is what people said about the International Modernist designs of the 60's, now we're regreting it. I'm not so fond of modern european architecture. Walls of sameness that lack any detail comes off as lazy to me. I like it when architecture has detail, to me that says effort. Perhaps it's that rendering cause it just looks terrible to me. I've seen the new glass buildings in real life but I would still take the more classical designs with detailed trim and slight massing of gold.

Glass IMO, is only dramtic on tall buildings, because they lack the detail of quality architecture they can pull it off because of the height. Midrise buildings usually have the detail in architecture that tall buildings don't. Know the midrise buildings are loosing on both fronts.

They will look cool at first because the new factor but how will they age, what will be impressive about them? Certainly not the slender height, like a tall drinking glass. Looks as terrible as the planned development on the old convention center site.

I'm not an architect, but I've never thought detail was what made quality buildings. It's shape and material that's more important, in my opinion. Slapping a bunch of cornices, molding, and setbacks and calling it architecture just doesn't do it for me. I'd bet this isn't what you're implying when you say "detail", but I still had to say it. That's probably why I can't stand the Victorian period.

It's true you can only do so much with the DC box, especially given the high price of DC office space, but glass and steel are part of creating an exciting environment. I'm personally very fond of glass given its light and open feeling, and know of a couple new buildings in DC that look terrific with full glass curtain walls. Don't get me wrong, I like brick too, but I am SICK of it. It's BORING.

HAudidoody,

You made an excellent point. A lot of buildings in DC built during the mid part of the 20th century are BORING. Absolutely boring. I also believe the quality of materials in addition to detail and shape is what makes a building. The quality of materials that these developers are going for ARE NOT the best and the architects are going along with it so that they can get their business because they are not spending the little bit of extra money to design something with more durability.

The whole point of this article is to state that DC is becoming more receptive to bolder designs AND materials. This is part of what makes a world-class city. Of course, there will be mistakes. But, there will also be new discoveries. DC can now begin to lead new innovation instead of following from the rear. Using this precast stuff is not helping anything and most of it looks fake anyway no matter what you do with the detail. People want to work in exciting environments. Glass and steel creates an exciting work environment.

You might not see it from the graphic, but the architect of 1875 Pennsylvania Ave added kicks in the plane of the building. It actually has curves in it that are quite impressive for a mid-block building. The result is that it is not just a standard DC box. Other photos of 1875 Penn Avenue show this very clearly. And, the openness of the design is fantastic. The atrium is even more impressive inside that building.

Architect of 1875 Penn Avenue: Shalom Baranes Associates based in Washington, DC