It is not often that a project comes along and captures the zeitgeist of the current decade in Washington, DC where sensitive and controversial architectural, historic, socio-economic, regulatory, urban planning and zoning issues needed to be addressed all at once. This presented an opportunity to participate decisively and offer a precedent for what could be done with a derelict building, on a non-conforming lot, in an alley inside a historic district inhabited by diverse population during an economically competitive environment. The answer(s) to this question became the program of requirements and the goal to transform the building into two family dwelling, preserve its essential architectural elements, explore what it means to dwell in a public alley with zero lot lines all the way around and continue the transformation of a named alley and the evolution of the whole block.
© Merrill St. Leger

Architects: Demian/Wilbur/Architects

Location: Washington, United States

Category: Houses Interiors

Lead Architects: Ziad Elias Demian, AIA ? APA

Team: Jonathan Fitzpatrick ? Staff Architects, Juan Ramón Morales Sabogal ? Staff Architect, Milagros Sifon ? Design Architect

Area: 2196.0 ft2

Project Year: 2017

Photographs: Merrill St. Leger, Howard Mager

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