28th Street Apartments, USA
By Koning Eizenberg Architecture Inc.
Koning Eizenberg was just awarded the prestigious 2013 World Architecture Festival Housing Award for the 28th Street Apartments.
The World Architecture Festival gathered over 1,750 architects from around the world in Singapore from October 2-4 to exchange ideas and inspiration for design. 260 shortlisted projects were considered for award in 30 different categories. This year, only 15 of the shortlisted projects were from the USA. Koning Eizenberg was the only US firm to receive an award. Referring to the 28th Street Apartments, the judges noted: “This project demonstrates architecture as an agent for social transformation. The architect was able to knit together historical continuity and something very new, something of high architectural value.”
Los Angeles maintains leadership in the US for socially responsible design. It is great to see that innovative social programming and design are valued internationally by the World Architecture Festival.
Read more about the project here.
Text from kearch.com
International Area Committee Jury citation
This project demonstrates a confident and sensitive integration of a significant historic original building with a new housing wing. It places a focus on communal and social spaces that bode well for its future inhabitation.
The qualities of the public spaces in the old building have been effectively incorporated into a new program and enhance the new uses whilst preserving the detail and character. The new roof garden and its preservation for outdoor use by residents is a key implementation as is the removal of unnecessary parking. The bold colour and well-scaled layout of the roof garden is both inviting and interactive. The graphic-type screens provide an appropriate juxtaposition to the detail of the historic building.
The 28th Street Apartments are a terrific demonstration of architectural skill in spatial design and the programming and incorporation of new technology. Koning Eizenberg have orchestrated the effective re-use of a significant historic building for a contemporary use. They have demonstrated how these qualities can create a balance between the private and public needs of this complex project type.
Elizabeth Mossop
Photos: Eric Staudenmeier