Page 48 - Fall 2019
P. 48
Strength in Numbers
Strength in Numbers
Multi-Family Projects Get Their Due
by Ronald O’Rourke
Many design publications focus their coverage of residential architecture on single-family residences, perhaps
because many of their readers live or aspire to live in such residences, or because the image of a detached
single-family house is most commonly associated with the idea of residential architecture. Although a bias
toward covering single-family residences might therefore be understandable, it nevertheless can impoverish
discussions of residential architecture by overlooking the accomplishments of architects engaged in designing
multi-family buildings, which entail design challenges and solutions not found in single-family projects.
For the Washington region—where more than two million people live in rental apartment and
condominium buildings—overlooking multi-family residences can produce a particularly
blinkered view of the local residential architecture scene. To their credit, the jurors this year
worked against this bias by recognizing eight multi-family projects with design awards.
Courtyard of Chapman Stables. The existing
two-story brick building in visible at right,
with new construction above and to the left.
46 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
