• A Matter of Eye and Heart

    An architectural firm transforms a dilapidated shell into its LEED-certified office.
    Oct. 8, 2010
    2 min read

    Return to Introductory Article

    When an abandoned building falls into insurmountable decay, it's time to call the demolition crew – or a visionary who can find opportunity where others see only challenge.

    Fortunately, the dilapidated former Row House in Washington, D.C.'s Shaw Historic District, caught the eye – and heart – of BELL Architects PC. Looking for a project in which to integrate craftsmanship and historic preservation with LEED certification, the firm was also seeking a new home for its offices.

    As designer and long-term owner of today's 1228 9th Street NW, David Bell, president at BELL Architects PC, recalls how he gained a much greater appreciation for his clients "in terms of budget control, particularly in balancing cost-effective solutions for historic preservation and LEED certification on our own dime, as well as dealing with contractors and regulatory agencies at a much more detailed level. In addition, we had to make the building functional for our own uses, but aesthetically pleasing so it could become a showpiece for what we do."

    MERIT AWARD:

    1228 9th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

    CATEGORY: MODERNIZATION

    Project Team

    (partial list)

    Architect/Owner (Award Submitter): BELL Architects PC
    MEP Engineer: Min Engineering
    Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates
    Fire Protection Consultant: Applied Fire Protection Engineering
    General Contractor: OS & B Construction
    Historic Preservation: Killeen Restoration; Restoration Concepts

    Among the highlights of the project:

    • An energy-efficient envelope was created without adverse impact on the structure's historic integrity. Improvements included repaired and painted metal window hoods and wood windows, interior storm windows, soy-based foam insulation, solar-tracking skylights, and high-albedo membrane roofing.
    • While certain interior areas retained their original historical configuration, a second floor and rear garage/infill were dedicated to open studio space very different from the original floor plan.
    • The integration of sustainable products and principles, using the Green Globe online auditing tool, included advanced daylighting systems, energy-efficient lighting and appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, low-VOC finishes, and products made of natural materials and/or recycled content.

    Today, Bell acknowledges that the experience has expanded the value-add that the firm offers its clients, "but it's still a joy to walk in the space."

    Suppliers

    Doors/Storefronts: Restoration Concepts
    Facades/Curtainwall: Kirei sorghum board
    Hardware: Schlage, Brass Knob, Yale
    Roofing: Everguard
    Windows/Glass: Teldwen
    Skylights: CiraLight, Naturalite
    HVAC: Ductsox
    Lighting: Ledalight Sona, Lithonia
    Plumbing/Washrooms: Toto, Caroma
    Security: Protection One
    Carpet: USG Fiberlock underlayment; Interface carpet
    Doors: Precision Doors
    Flooring: Forbo
    Paint: Sherwin Williams
    Walls/Partitions: USG
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