Cient:  Urban Land Interests

Location:  Madison, WI

Completion:  On-going

*Work completed while at Valerio Dewalt Train Associates, Inc.

Project Description:

The Block 89 development is an on-going addition of Class A office and retail space in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin. 
 
The two largest plots on the block were slated for ten story office buildings offering sweeping views of both Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, while the alleys and lesser plots were seamed together with smaller scaled additions. Below it all, is a new underground parking facility to service the entire block.
 
Architecturally, the challenge here was to utilize the traditional construction materials of Madison but to articulate them in an edgy contemporary  way to bring a fresh offering into the cities Architectural legacy.
 
A curvature design theme was implemented into the Ten Story Doty building façade as the primary structural piers sweep back and join together as a delicate top edge of the building, thereby breaking down the masonry and glass façade.

The size of the windows were carefully examined to the appropriate ratio of glass to brick, as the Doty elevation nods to the neighboring historic Insurance building to the west and the much smaller three story Burrows Block building to the east.
 
Other architectural moments are at the infill areas. A horizontal curve is used to mediate between the One East Main building an the north east and the Walgreens ‘Hat’ dons an aluminum clad vertical curve in a dialogue back to both the Doty as well as the Capitol Dome.
 
Since my exposure, the final piece of the Block 89 development is nearing completion with a high profile ten story glass and stone building on the northeast coner.