Innovative Design: Raising the Bar

Architects achieve high-end design on limited budgets.

8 MIN READ
Designed by David Baker Architects, The Rivermark in West Sacramento, Calif., features a second-level podium courtyard that serves as the heart of the development. Balconies, decks, and patios surround the courtyard, which helps to blend the public and private space.

Mariko Reed

Designed by David Baker Architects, The Rivermark in West Sacramento, Calif., features a second-level podium courtyard that serves as the heart of the development. Balconies, decks, and patios surround the courtyard, which helps to blend the public and private space.

Project: The Residences at ThayerLocation: Silver Spring, Md.Architect: Wiencek + Associates Architects + PlannersDeveloper: Landex Development

© Eric Taylor, www.erictaylorphoto.com

Project: The Residences at ThayerLocation: Silver Spring, Md.Architect: Wiencek + Associates Architects + PlannersDeveloper: Landex Development

Transition Space


The design of The Residences at Thayer both complements and bridges the single-family housing and industrial offices near the flourishing central business district in Silver Spring, Md.

“We wanted to draw your eye down to something that would be seen as the transition,” says Michael Wiencek, president of Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners, the architect behind the development.

The architect wanted to do a park space as the gateway to the residential space but couldn’t pull the building all the way back. Instead, he designed a knife edge on the building and a triangular pocket park to mark the boundary of the commercial district and create a counterpoint to a tall apartment building across the street.

“We do a lot of stuff here where we get two for one. This angle gives us a dynamic piece of architecture and a bold statement, but it also creates the space for the pocket park that we otherwise might not have convinced the client to use that land for,” he says. “By having a good architectural reason, a good planning reason, and a sensible argument for it being an amenity for the building and the public makes it that much more doable.”

The architect also focuses on creating a base, a shaft, and a cap on every building it does, including The Residences at Thayer. “The glass holding up the big knife-edge triangle and the top floor stepping back give it scale on one side that relates to the industrial buildings but breaks the scale down into three pieces and three textures as it addresses the residential,” says Wiencek.

The $18 million low-income housing tax credit project, which earned LEED for Homes Silver certification and met Enterprise Green Communities standards, was completed by Landex Development in 2014 and includes 42 affordable and 10 market-rate units. Additional features include cost-saving residential-grade windows arranged to have the look of an expensive storefront and stormwater retention on the green roof.

About the Author

Christine Serlin

Christine Serlin is an editor for Affordable Housing Finance, Multifamily Executive, and Builder. She has covered the affordable housing industry since 2001. Before that, she worked at several daily newspapers, including the Contra Costa Times and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Connect with Christine at cserlin@zondahome.com or follow her on Twitter @ChristineSerlin.

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