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Interior of the bar/restaurant, which occupies the cantilevered space on the top floor.

context in which to connect, the design team focused on the we imagine. Our design sought to make the lower floors of the
original intent of the [ODBC] as a rowing club,” the firm said. clubhouse feel like the lower decks of a real ship, with large
“With wooden boats as a [design] driver, we asked the question, wood braces and repetitive structure, and rustic and darker
‘What would the boat builders build?’” tones. Upstairs, we created a light-filled space reminiscent of a
In presenting the design to the Board of Architectural luxury liner, with light wood tones and nautical blue accents.”
Review for Old Town Alexandria, “we shared our view that With the project now completed, “the history of the
the language of the project should not be based on a specific Beachcomber is secured in the [new] building,” the architects
architectural stylistic period but instead should speak to a said. “The ODBC has a new image of a contemporary urban boat
building that reflects the history of the boat club by using club boasting its own history as a rowing club, with the pairs of
materials and detailing similar to what a boat builder would oars mounted on the exterior that greet first time viewers.”
[use],” the architects said. “The piers and decking at the front of “Because our studio is located in Old Town Alexandria, the
the building illustrate the history of the waterfront dating back project had particular significance and importance to us,” Hong
to the 1700s.” said. “During the 2018 Alexandria Contemporary Architecture
The project involved replacing a derelict structure “with very Symposium, in a poll of favorite contemporary buildings
little redeeming architectural character, other than a cantilevered constructed in the last 10 years, this project was voted number
wood porch,” Winstanley said. “Our approach allowed us to one in a landslide.” She added that the project’s contracting
develop an aesthetic about wood, joinery, and structure.” team at Forrester Construction “approached and completed this
The firm, he added, “researched boat club typologies project with incredible attention to detail in their work on the
extensively to understand the history of the building type. design.” The $9.5-million building was completed on budget.
Architecturally, this project required us to thread the narrow “This project was extremely complex—culturally,
path of designing a contemporary structure that had cultural technically, and politically,” Winstanley said. “What makes
references sufficient to satisfy the Alexandria Board of us most happy is that we were able to design an ahistorical
Architectural Review, notoriously known for requiring direct structure in one of the most revered historical neighborhoods
historical references to historic periods.” in the country. The character of the wood structure along
In designing interiors, “one technique we use to set the the waterfront doesn’t reflect a specific style or reference, but
tone and atmosphere is mood boards,” the firm said. “Created appeals to a sense of beauty through the materials used and the
for each special room, we use photography, furniture, color, way in which they are assembled.”
signage, and even images of food to help our clients see what
52 THE BOATING PARTY