Page 17 - Summer_2019

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Horizontal louvers shield the southern Photo © Anice Hoachlander/
façade of the new west wing from the sun. Hoachlander Davis Photography

The northern façade of the new west wing, which is primarily of brick with windows
grouped into large frames, complements the design of the original building, seen at
left. The projecting outdoor staircase at the end provides a hint of the more animated
façades toward the rear of the building.

Each of these concepts has architectural manifestations, and
they overlap in various ways. This is a building that doesn’t look
simple and, in fact, it isn’t, but ISTUDIO brought harmony to that
variety, producing a building that stands out among its peers.
The story starts in the first decade of the 2000s, with the Office
of the State Superintendent of Education running population
projections for each public school in DC. Powell Elementary was
projected to grow substantially—and the existing 45,000-square-
foot facility was already overcrowded. ISTUDIO was hired in 2011
and first produced a master plan. Construction proceeded gradually,
starting with relatively modest renovations to the 1959 wing, at
the east side of the complex, completed in 2014, then moving to
rehabilitation of the original 1929 building at the center, completed
a year later. The new west classroom wing followed in 2016, and
finally, in 2018, the south wing, containing a library, computer
rooms, art studio, and other special spaces, was completed.
The result is something of an architectural parade. The 1929
building is a classic of the Georgian Revival style, venerable if not
especially exciting. The 1959 addition is functionalist in character,
though ISTUDIO’s introduction of a small skylighted atrium
provides some flair and an internal focal point. On the front
(Upshur Street) façade, the new west wing is clearly different,
with its groups of windows boxed into frames and curious chimney-
like elements peeking over the roofline. Turning the corner, the
architecture explodes, starting with one of the exterior stairs,
continuing to the glass walls of the west and south wings. Located
between these wings is a soaring atrium, with a boldly articulated
steel structure, the exposed brick wall of the 1929 building to one
side, and a huge sloping skylight above.

Project: Powell Elementary School,
1350 Upshur Street, NW, Washington, DC
Architects: ISTUDIO Architects
Structural Engineers: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
MEP/F Engineers: Setty & Associates, Ltd.
Civil Engineers/Landscape Architects: AMT, LLC
Geotechnical/Hazmat Consultants: ECS Corporate Services, LLC
Playscape Specialists: Symbiosis, Inc.
LEED Consultant: Dan Triman
Contractor: MCN Build
Photo © Anice Hoachlander/Hoachlander Davis Photography

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