Construction was recently completed on The Retail Village at Sycamore & Oak, a 22,000-sf building that will serve as a business incubator for entrepreneurs, including emerging black businesses, in Washington, D.C. The facility, designed by Sir David Adjaye, the architect of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is expected to attract retail and food concepts that originated in the community.
The building, located in Congress Heights, which has a 38% poverty level—more than double the District’s average rate, will provide a venue for job creation in the economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Michelin star chef and humanitarian Jose Andres will mentor Retail Village restaurant owners. The project was partly conceptualized and will be fully managed by members of the Congress Heights community.
The structure was constructed with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, sustainably harvested mass timber. The entire structure, built using screws instead of nails, can be taken apart and reused.
A plinth is used as a focal point for gathering and creates a viewing deck into the multiple programs held in the education centers, as well as for retail incubators, outdoor dining spaces, and a performance pavilion. The structure is open-air with a canopy that offers protection from the elements and cultivates a sense of intimacy or ‘community within community’ when visitors gather underneath.
An environmental canopy collects rainwater and generates electricity from photovoltaic panels. An all-electric building, Sycamore & Oak will demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of solar energy, battery storage, heat pumps, and induction cooking, according to a news release. Some of the furniture used locally sourced wood from recovered street trees.
The project, scheduled to open the public on June 14, has already won an award from the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment for demonstrating equity and inclusion in sustainable construction.
On the project team:
Owner and/or developer: STE15 LLC, a joint venture of the Emerson Collective and Redbrick LMD
Design architect: Sir David Adjaye, Adjaye Associates
Architect of record: Winstanley Associates
MEP engineer: CSCE
Structural engineer: Structurecraft
General contractor/construction manager: Banneker Communities
Related Stories
| Jun 30, 2014
4 design concepts that remake the urban farmer's market
The American Institute of Architects held a competition to solve the farmer's markets' biggest design dilemma: lightweight, bland canopies that although convenient, does not protect much from the elements.
| Jun 20, 2014
Sterling Bay pulled on board for Chicago Old Main Post Office project
Sterling Bay Cos. and Bill Davies' International Property Developers North America partner up for a $500 million restoration of Chicago's Old Main Post Office
| Jun 19, 2014
First look: JDS Architects' roller-coaster-like design for Istanbul waterfront development
The development's wavy and groovy design promises unobstructed views of the Marmara Sea for every unit.
| Jun 18, 2014
Study shows walkable urbanism has positive economic impact
Walkable communities have a higher GDP, greater wealth, and higher percentages of college grads, according to a new study by George Washington University.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
Bill signing signals approval to revitalize New Orleans’ convention center corridor
A plan to revitalize New Orleans' Convention Center moves forward after Louisiana governor signs bill.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
