355 11th Street | Aidlin Darling Design

Background:

355 Eleventh is a LEED Gold adaptive reuse of a Historic (and previously derelict) turn-of-the-century industrial building. The 3-story, 14,000 sqft mixed-use project was developed and constructed by the building’s primary occupant, a general contractor specializing in Green building. The owner & general contractor occupies the entire second floor (administration & offices). The third floor is leased to design professionals. A restaurant & bar occupies the first floor and exterior courtyard.

Design:

Originally a warehouse, the Historic structure’s new role as a multi-tenant workspace invoked a new set of constraints for the building envelope:

A collection of metal and glass apertures, sensitively inserted into the original structural frame, provide the requisite functions of entry, exit, light and view necessary for the building’s new mixed-use program. The largest of these apertures unfolds within the interior to become a bridge traversing the two-story lobby, finally terminating as a reception desk for the second floor offices.

On the east and west facades, the new metal skin is perforated with fields of small holes that allow light and air to pass through new operable windows hidden beyond. The perforated outer skin mitigates solar heat gain while enabling cross-ventilation of the interior. This rudimentary double-skin façade becomes a screen for sunlight and air, allowing the stoic, industrial character of the original building to be maintained without the visual introduction of new fenestration.

Clearly registering the rhythm of the Historic post-and-beam structure, the original fenestration of the building’s north façade was preserved and refurbished. The existing timber and concrete frame was carefully sandblasted to reveal the warmth and texture of the original materials. As day turns to evening, the perforations in building’s new skin gradually reveal the historic character of the timber frame within.

The new fence surrounding the dining patio on Eleventh Street is a patterned bar-relief of wood panels, recessed light pockets, and view slots. The sectional profile of each light pocket reflects light from a single, hidden fixture toward both sides of the fence, thus maximizing the efficiency – and phenomenal effect – of each bulb. The dark color of the fence serves as a muted backdrop for the vivid hues of the surrounding plantings.