In July 2020, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (“DMPED”), issued a request for proposals to redevelop a parcel of land located at 1351 Alabama Avenue SE, also referred to as Malcolm X. The NRP Group and Argos group contacted Moya Design Partners to lead the design of their response to this RFP.

Located at the intersection of Alabama Avenue SE and Congress Street SE, the site is a prominent location as you approach downtown DC from the south. Because of the acute angle of Congress Street, the site provides an open visual respite along Alabama Avenue SE. This sets the stage for a memorable first impression and the sense of arrival that the Congress Heights neighborhood deserves. To solve this acute angle at the intersection, we proposed to set back the building and allow the corner to become public park.

The design proposes a layering system that articulates the façade and the massing of the building at the same time. These layers have the flexibility to be carved as needed, either for functionality or design intent, creating visual interest in the architectural form. The solid inner layer acts as the structure of the project revealing a basic tri-dimensional grid from which the building’s geometries emerge.