Valerio Dewalt Train Associates

Valerio Dewalt Train AssociatesDesign Architect500 North Dearborn, 9th FloorChicago, IL 60654312.260.7300www.buildordie.com

Project Team:Joe ValerioDavid JennerjahnTom DalyAdam DayNora Ames

Owner / Developer:Urban Land Interests

Landscape Architect:Ken Saiki Design

Photos © Barbara Karant and © Mike Rebholz© Renderings by Visualized Concepts

© Valerio Dewalt Train Associates 2014

Valerio Dewalt Train Associates

CONTENTS

CONSTRUCTION

THE OUTCOME

INTRODUCTION

THE SOLUTION

DEFINING THE EXPERIENCE

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INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

VDTA’s working relationship with Madison, Wisconsin’s premier developer, Urban Land Interests (ULI), spans over twenty years. During that time, VDTA was commissioned for many design assignments in Madison’s city center mainly focusing on office buildings, retail and parking developments, both new and renovation, but never for a residential building. When ULI got control of a parcel that sat adjacent to an existing ULI residential project near downtown Madison – an adaptive re-use of former tobacco warehouses into market-rate rental apartments – VDTA was asked to consider the difficult challenge of creating a luxury rental apartment development that maximized the site’s potential. Another architect, previously commissioned by ULI, prepared a design that was underwhelming, conventional and failed to optimize the site use.

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DEFINING THE EXPERIENCE

In the pursuit of pleasure people value experiences as much as they value things. Architecture, more than any other media, has the ability to define our daily experiences. When you choose an residence you are choosing an experience.

In each case the experience of the place aligned with the identity of the client, their value proposition, and of course, the constraints of time and money.

Defining this identity, the “who” is always the biggest question. Too large of a target audience and the design must find the lowest common denominator. Target too narrow of an audience and the population cannot support a large development.

We have designed Seven27 with the focus on a target community that embraces lasting values as opposed to transient trends. These values, in addition to the neighborhood context, allow us to form a building DNA.

COMMUNITY

We designed Seven27 with the foucs on a target community that embraces lasting values as opposed to transient trends.”

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The 1.7 acre site was a former material storage yard for a local general contractor. It was unused and overgrown but optimally located. The neighboring uses on all sides of the site required a distinct and specific response.

On the north site edge sits the Tobacco Lofts apartments – two historic long brick masonry buildings, originally used to warehouse locally grown tobacco, that parallel each other and share Seven27’s site entry drive.

On the south edge is an underutilized city park, an adjunct portion of the neighboring Brittingham Park, separated by Proudfit Street, with views to Monona Bay and Lake Monona.

The east edge features the city’s heavily traveled Southwest Commuter bike path which, for the length of the site, also runs along an active railroad line.

Additionally, this site edge faces the downtown skyline and Lake Monona as well as more immediate and recent low-rise office and work-live developments. To the west is the historic Bassett Neighborhood, a collection of established small scale, 1 and 2 story single family homes. Every edge of the site faced a unique condition and would require a unique design response to mesh with the context.

NEIGHBORHOOD

Every edge of the site faced a unique condition and would require a unique design response to mesh with the context.”

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Downtown Farmers Market

SW Commuter Bike Path & Capital City Trail

Brittingham Park

Lake Monona

Kohl Center University Area

Downtown restaurants and bars

State Street shopping

NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITIES

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Upward Mobile

Anti-brand

Pet-friendly

Blurring the line between business and pleasure

Seeking the new experience

Lifestyle is all-important

Achieve aspirations through association

Aspire to be the new way to live

Sustainable environments

Active by nature

Tech worldly

TARGET PROFILE

VDTA developed a target profile based on the stabilized population of college graduates from the University of Wisconsin and the rising population of employees at a local medical software company. The company employs well over 6,000 staff, most between 25-30. Characteristics that define this profile are highlighted below.

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Not only does VDTA’s design for Seven27 address the contextual conditions of each site edge but is also achieves twenty more apartment units than previous design solutions proposed. The design for the building - a U-shaped plan with varying height wings - is oriented toward the south for views to the bay and lake, as well as optimum access to daylight and natural ventilation. The western face, steps down to 3-stories and its massing is shaped to smaller “house-sized” elements to best mimic the single-family homes across the street. The two wings forming the “U”, create arms that form a landscaped courtyard -- an extension of the abutting city parkland -- embracing green space into the center of the building and covering the underground parking with a communal use green roof and terrace.

Seven27’s design creates a dialogue with the neighboring Tobacco Lofts through the building’s height, massing and materiality – a 4-story tan colored brick façade mediates the height of the two loft warehouse buildings with their cream colored masonry. Along the east, mirroring the energy of the railroad tracks and bike path, is Seven27’s longest wing, echoing the linear orientation of the Tobacco

Loft’s warehouse buildings.

DESIGN STRATEGIES

EffortlessAuthenticEnablingIntimatePortal to the natural environmentTech connectedAgileBlurring the line between work and play

BUILDING D.N.A

SITE AERIAL

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THE OUTCOME

SEVEN27 FACTS

117 Apartments (6 studios, 85 one bedrooms, 26 bedrooms)

128 Parking Stalls

176,749 GSF

$18,025,000

$102/SF (includes parking area)

PROPERTY AMENITIES

Landscaped courtyard terrace with fire pit, BBQ area and sundeck

Lounge with TV & sound system, kitchen and bar

Indoor bike parking with equipped bike maintenance station

Fitness room with aerobic and weight training machines & free-weight area

Dog wash station

On-site management office

Native planting landscaping with rain gardens

Direct access to Madison city bike path

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Building forms intersect at angles, taking advantage of views while creating a sense of dynamic movement.

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UNIT FEATURES

Maple wood cabinetry with 1 ¼” quartz tops

Large islands with seating

Stainless steel appliances

Garbage disposal with in-counter switch

Walk in closets @ all primary bedrooms

In-unit full size washer/dryer

Porcelain tile bathrooms floors and accent wall

Glass shower doors

Vinyl plank floors throughout; carpet at bedrooms

In-floor radiant heating; split-system air conditioning

Ceiling heights vary between 9’-0” and 9’-8”

8’-0” Solid core maple doors throughout

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THE SOLUTION

VDTA’s sustainable core philosophies influence can be found throughout the design. Rain gardens, located just south of the courtyard, collect the outfall from the roof leaders and allowing it to permeate back into the water table. A large green roof occupies a portion of the covered garage and is designed to seamlessly merge into the adjacent terrain, while providing a recreation and gathering area for the building residents. Taking advantage of the site’s proximity to the downtown area, as well as public transportation and recreational activities, the team designed the project with a reduced level of parking from the market and supplemented with significantly more

bike storage than is commonplace in the area.

The residential units are designed with highly efficient floor plans, minimizing the overall footprint of the building. In addition, large high performance glazing units are located in all units, allowing for daylighting regardless of view. These windows also contribute to an increased ability to utilize natural ventilation. While the building envelope construction varies depending on context, the performance is consistent and high.

Exterior rigid insulation coupled with inter-stud batt insulation provides walls with a high R value, allowing for minimized energy usage within the units. Zoned hot water radiant flooring is embedded in the floor to provide efficient temperature control, and provisions to connect to the existing adjacent geothermal fields have been included incorporated into the design.

SUSTAINABLE

The residential units are designed with a highly efficient floor plans, minimizing the overall footprint of the building.”

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The building uses its form to engage the surrounding context of the Madison city area.

Sustainable materials are used throughout the design process and are used inside and outside the building.

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GROUND FLOORNTS

1 TWO BED APARTMENT

2 TYPICAL APARTMENT

3 COMMON ROOM

4 OUTDOOR COURTYARD

5 LOBBY

6 BIKE STORAGE

7 PARKING

8 ELEVATOR

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1 ONE BED APARTMENT

2 TWO BED APARTMENT

3RD FLOORNTS

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CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

Wood frame – prefabricated panelized walls, floor trusses and roof trusses

Precast concrete two story garage (one level below grade, one level above grade) with direct elevator access.

Brick masonry, aluminum shingle & aluminum composite panel cladding

Aluminum windows & storefront

Galvanized steel balconies and railings

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BUILDING ENTRY

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