PROJECT Edgemoor 48
ARCHITECT Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS
LOCATION  Bethesda, Maryland US

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  5/28/2021
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Bill Bonstra, FAIA; Wade McKinney, Assoc. AIA; Robert Kuentzel, AIA; Joseph McKenley, AIA
OWNER/CLIENT Acumen Companies / Shawn Weingast
CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  
PHOTOGRAPHER  Renderings by Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
CIVIL ENGINEER Macris, Hendricks & Glascock, P.A. / Patrick La Vay
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Structura, Inc. / Ryan Sarazen, PE
MECHANICAL ENGINEER Capitol Engineering Group / Alex Shojaei, PE
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SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Edgemoor 48 is a 12-story, 118-foot-tall multifamily residential condominium providing 76 units with penthouse amenity space offering panoramic views, and served by a below grade automated parking system. Located adjacent to the Bethesda METRO Station, the project will provide a more affordable product to younger homebuyers. Successfully approved by the rigorous Bethesda Design Advisory Panel (DAP), it is currently in the site plan approval phase with the Montgomery County Planning Board (MCPB).

Identified by the City of Bethesda as an underutilized single-family site within the dense downtown master plan, the DAP’s guidelines for lot coverage, tower setbacks, the proximity to extant buildings with dense site occupancy posed challenges for creating a financially viable design. The intended development goals were conflicting with the Bethesda Design Guidelines, which have recommendations for building setbacks. These guidelines are to ensure sufficient light and air is maintained throughout the city as it is currently undergoing rapid expansion due to its recent rezoning. Strict compliance with these setback recommendations would have rendered the project unbuildable on its existing lot size, which is one of the smallest sites in the Central Business District.

Through effective conversations with the neighboring condominium committee, MCPB staff, and the DAP, the team was able to produce a unique design supported by all parties while complementing its urban context. This design meets alternate compliance with some of the Design Guideline recommendations, and endeavors where possible to comply with the rest. Through working with the aforementioned parties, the design now tapers away from its neighbors to the south, angling the façade open on the edges. This creates the perception of further separation between the two towers, while also allowing more light and air between the buildings. This design creates a more dynamic massing for the tower, breaking down the scale of the building, and creates a better relationship with its context of surrounding towers.

JURY COMMENTS (If applicable)

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. Primary Corner view from Metro Station at intersection of Edgemoor Lane and Woodmont Avenue. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
2. Primary Corner view from Metro Station at intersection of Edgemoor Lane and Woodmont Avenue. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
3. Looking northwest along Woodmont Avenue towards southern façade which is angled out to allow for more light, air, and views between buildings. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
4. Looking East across the park towards downtown Bethesda. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
5. Looking South along Woodmont at the newly activated streetfront on the urban edge. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
6. Ground floor site plan. Rendering Credit – produced in-house
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