Largest zero-carbon-certified multifamily building in the world opens in Washington, D.C.
Phase One of the Bridge District, the largest ILFI Zero Carbon-certified multifamily building in the world, recently opened in Washington, D.C. The mixed-use project, consisting of three towers, brings 750,000 sf of market-rate and affordable housing and 40,000 sf of retail to the Bridge District neighborhood.
The project is located at the foot of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, adjacent to Anacostia Park. The area connects the established Capitol Riverfront neighborhood with the communities south and east of the Anacostia River.
The all-electric building is fully powered by renewable energy generated by a rooftop solar array and off-site sources, a strategy that aligns with DC’s goal of electrifying all new homes and commercial buildings by 2032.
The building is tracking a 30% reduction in energy over ASHRAE baseline, a 37% reduction in embodied carbon, and a 39% reduction in water use. In addition to ILFI Zero Carbon, the project is targeting LEED V4.0 Platinum status.
Through a focus on natural daylighting, views to nature, and indoor/outdoor connections, the project prioritizes residents’ health and caters to the demands of the work-from-home era. To capitalize on the site’s expansive views, the towers’ form is sculpted to maximize the number of units with monument and river views and to optimize opportunities for natural daylighting.
Seventy-eight of the building’s 757 units are affordable and will be rented to those making no more than 60% of the area’s median family income. In response to the community’s desire for greater housing options for families, 29 of the units have three bedrooms.
Recognizing that Phase One serves not only its own residents but the greater Anacostia neighborhood, the building maximizes the amount of ground-floor real estate dedicated to retail and community use. The project aims to attract local retailers to expand economic opportunity and ground the new development in the surrounding neighborhood.
In addition to private balconies, which are included with more than 80% of units, residents can access programmed outdoor terraces, including landscaped courtyards, a yoga terrace, and a rooftop pool deck.
Additional amenities include a fitness center, a dog spa, bike lounge, event rooms, and a children’s playroom. The building also incorporates biophilic elements including exterior and interior green walls, natural materials, and interior plantings.
To support the rise of remote and hybrid work, each unit includes a flex space that can be adapted to an office. A centralized co-working space with connections to retail and outdoor terraces is available for all residents. Reservable phone booths and conference rooms are offered throughout the building for residents who need greater focus.
As future phases of the Bridge District come to fruition, the development will continue to create opportunity and expand connectivity in an area that has been historically isolated from the rest of the District.
On the project team:
Developer: Redbrick LMD
Architect: ZGF Architects
MEP engineer: Introba
Structural engineer: SK&A
Contractor: HITT Contracting
