With the I-395 overpass and expansive parking lots, Washington D.C.’s southwestern waterfront is more car-oriented than it is maritime. Because of this, the capital’s waterfront is missing out on the vibrancy of other cities by the water, such as Copenhagen, Venice, or Seattle.
The Wharf, a new wharf plan for the District, aims to change this scenario. The project, a team effort including the District of Columbia, Perkins Eastman and developer Hoffman-Madison Marquette, will transform the car-dominated streets into a complex of “shared space.” Greater Greater Washington reports that the street planning gives pedestrians priority, using subtle but effective visual cues instead of curbs and traffic signals. Paving selection that helps differentiate pedestrian, vehicular, and shared spaces is a key aspect.
The mixed-use complex will house retail, offices, housing, and public spaces such as parks and an extensive waterfront promenade.
The project broke ground in March 2014 and will be built in phases, with completion slated for 2020.
Visit The Wharf's official website for more information.
The current, car-dominated southwestern waterfront. Photo via Google Maps.
Ground plan of the Wharf. Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
A view of the Civic Commons. Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
Maine Avenue. Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
The "Jazz Alley" at night. Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
A piazza. Courtesy of Perkins Eastman
Related Stories
| Jan 3, 2012
Weingarten, Callan appointed to BD+C Editorial Board
Building Design+Construction has named two new members to its editorial board. Both are past recipients of BD+C’s “40 Under 40” honor.
| Jan 3, 2012
New Chicago hospital prepared for pandemic, CBR terror threat
At a cost of $654 million, the 14-story, 830,000-sf medical center, designed by a Perkins+Will team led by design principal Ralph Johnson, FAIA, LEED AP, is distinguished in its ability to handle disasters.
| Jan 3, 2012
BIM: not just for new buildings
Ohio State University Medical Center is converting 55 Medical Center buildings from AutoCAD to BIM to improve quality and speed of decision making related to facility use, renovations, maintenance, and more.
| Jan 3, 2012
New SJI Rule on Steel Joists
A new rule from the Steel Joist Institute clarifies when local reinforcement of joists is required for chord loads away from panel points. SJI members offer guidance about how and when to specify loads.
| Jan 3, 2012
AIA Course: New Developments in Concrete Construction
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Jan 3, 2012
The Value of Historic Paint Investigations
An expert conservator provides a three-step approach to determining a historic building’s “period of significance”—and how to restore its painted surfaces to the correct patterns and colors.
| Jan 3, 2012
28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Bringing Hope to Cancer Patients
A gothic-style structure is reconstructed into comfortable, modern patient residence facility for the American Cancer Society.
| Jan 3, 2012
Art Gensler: Still Making a Difference for Clients Every Day
After running what is today the largest architecture firm in the world for more than four decades, M. Arthur Gensler, Jr., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA, is content to be just another employee at the firm that bears his name.
| Jan 3, 2012
Gensler: 'The One Firm Firm'
The giant architecture firm succeeds by giving each of its more than 3,000 employees the opportunity for career growth and professional leadership.
| Jan 3, 2012
Rental Renaissance, The Rebirth of the Apartment Market
Across much of the U.S., apartment rents are rising, vacancy rates are falling. In just about every major urban area, new multifamily rental projects and major renovations are coming online. It may be too soon to pronounce the rental market fully recovered, but the trend is promising.