David Baker Architects

A2
Slideshow | Details
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Lawrence Street elevation. Image: Paul Warchol

 

A2 is a five-story, 52-unit apartment building at the site of a former restaurant parking lot in Baltimore's Fort Point neighborhood. Rounding out a new community hub, A2 is across the street from Anthem House, the comprehensive redevelopment of a former GE site by the same team, which includes 292 apartments, 449 parking spaces, and 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

A2’s 52 new homes include studios and two-bedroom apartments. The new building will feature a landscaped setback of up to 25 feet facing the alley on Boyle Street and a nine-foot setback facing Lawrence Street.

A primary goal of the project is to activate and improve the walkability of Lawrence Street and to weave together the pedestrian experience between Federal Hill and the Locust Point waterfront.

Residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol
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View of A2 LAB entry. 2017.05
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Roof deck by day, overlooking Inner Harbor. Image: Ray Cavicchio
Roof terraces are a Baltimore rowhouse typology. The rear yards are small and the summers are hot, so many homes have ad hoc open space on the roof.

Rood deck at dusk. Image: Paul Warchol
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View from west corner with residential balconies. Image: Paul Warchol
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Roof plan. Image: David Baker Architects
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Typical residential level. Image: David Baker Architects
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Ground level plan. Image: David Baker Architects

 

“A2 Apartments provides affordable housing at an elevated design level. The jury appreciated the care taken to break down the massing of the 52-unit complex to a size that is more relatable to the surrounding context. The animated facade was designed in a way that feels cohesive and thought through. The activation of the ground floor with realistically-sized retail space on such a small footprint is commendable. The jury noted the corner rooftop deck provides equitable views to all tenants rather than reserving the views for a single unit.”
—AIA Maryland Design Awards Jury

View from corner of Lawrence Street and Fort Avenue. Image: Paul Warchol

View of south corner from Lawrence Street. Image: Paul Warchol

Lawrence Street elevation from south. Image: Paul Warchol

Lawrence Street elevation. Image: Paul Warchol

East corner at Lawrence and Harvey Streets. Image: Paul Warchol

Harvey Street elevation. Image: Paul Warchol

View of north corner from Harvey Street. Image: Paul Warchol

Garage facade detail. Image: Paul Warchol

View from west corner with residential balconies. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential balconies. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry and mailroom. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential entry and mailroom. Image: Paul Warchol

Board form concrete detail in residential entry. Image: Paul Warchol

Residential corridor. Image: Paul Warchol

Roof deck. Image: Paul Warchol

Roof deck. Image: Paul Warchol

Rood deck at dusk. Image: Paul Warchol

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Paul Warchol

View looking north up the sidewalk on Lawrence Street. Image: Paul Warchol

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Paul Warchol

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Ian Johnston

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Ian Johnston

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Ian Johnston

Lawrence Street retail. Image: Ian Johnston

Residential entry with DBA K-door. Image: Ray Cavicchio

Image: Ray Cavicchio

Image: Ray Cavicchio

Roof deck by day, overlooking Inner Harbor. Image: Ray Cavicchio

Roof deck by night, overlooking Inner Harbor. Image: Ray Cavicchio

2017.10.07 Construction camera view of A2 under construction.

Aerial view from the south-east. Image: Maurice Walters Architects/David Baker Architects

The Under Armour zone, Fort Point, Baltimore.

2018.06 view under construction.

Detail of the rust wall and RBS wall.

2016.08.18: Aerial from north-east.

Aerial from the north-east. Image: David Baker Architects

Aerial view from the south-east. Image: David Baker Architects

2016.08.18 Aerial view from south-west. Image: Maurice Walters Architects/David Baker Architects

Aerial view from south-west. Image: David Baker Architects

The Lawrence Street elevation. Image: Maurice Walters Architects

View of the Lawrence Avenue residential entry with the A2 LAB up the street. Image: David Baker Architects

View of the Lawrence Avenue residential entry with the A2 LAB up the street.

View of A2 LAB entry. 2017.05

Street level view from the corner of Lawrence and Harvey. Image: Maurice Walters Architects/David Baker Architects

Street level view from the corner of Lawrence and Harvey. Image: David Baker Architects

Vignette view of the Harvey Street garage. Image: Maurice Walters Architects/David Baker Architects

Vignette view of the Harvey Street garage. Image: David Baker Architects

Vignette of alley. Image: Maurice Walters Architects/David Baker Architects

Vignette of alley. Image: David Baker Architects

The roof terrace looks out to the bay. Image: Maurice Walters Architects

Roof plan. Image: David Baker Architects

Typical residential level. Image: David Baker Architects

Ground level plan. Image: David Baker Architects

A2 Site Plan

2016.08.18 Plan Floor 5

2016.08.18 Plan Floors 3-4

2016.08.18 Plan Floor 2

awards

Design Citation Award
AIA Maryland

publications

Affordable by Design: A2 Apartments

project details

Category

All Projects, Apartments, Market-Rate

​Location

Baltimore, Maryland

Developer

Bozzuto Development Company

Developer

War Horse Cities

Developer

Solstice Partners

Executive Architect

Maurice Walters Architect

Design Architect

David Baker Architects

Landscape Architect

Mahan Rykiel Associates

Structural Engineer

Structura-Inc.

Geotech Engineer

Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates

Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineer

Capitol Engineering Group

Civil Engineer

Whitman, Requardt & Associates

Signage and Wayfinding

Younts Design Inc.

Permalink

www.dbarchitect.com/A2

project data
A2 21512
Baltimore, Maryland
Completed August 2018
number of units
studio 36
2 bedroom 15
loft 1
total 52
density ratios
project sf  48,399
site sf 12,000
acres 0.28
total bedrooms 67
bedrooms/acre 239
units/acre 186
parking
total  23
type garage + surface
bicycle parking 20
construction type
Type V-A over Type I-A  
certification
LEED NC Gold Goal