DESIGN PROPOSAL
Situated between I-85 and Buford Highway, a corridor known for its rich cultural diversity, the project transforms an underutilized site into a vibrant and inclusive urban landmark. HKS envisions a master plan comprising seven residential towers and a multi-level parking deck, strategically designed to bridge the site’s potential with the dynamic spirit of Buford Highway. At its core, the intervention seeks to redefine urban living by fostering cultural expression and community engagement, ensuring that the development resonates with the traditions and identities of the people who call this area home. The design is not just about adding buildings to a site. It is about embedding a narrative of inclusivity, connectivity, and sustainable growth.
The façade stands as a defining element of this vision, crafted from precast concrete panels that derive their form from the patterns found in the artwork, textiles, and pottery of the region’s diverse communities. Through a meticulous process of abstraction, these motifs were reinterpreted into a rhythmic façade that reflects cultural identity while responding intelligently to climatic conditions. Beyond its aesthetic and symbolic role, the façade also enhances the building’s environmental performance, modulating sunlight, optimizing shading, and contributing to passive cooling strategies. This dual function of cultural storytelling and climatic responsiveness ensures that the structure remains both visually compelling and sustainably attuned to its context.
Yet the project extends far beyond the façade, integrating layers of public engagement and spatial programming that transform the site into a destination rather than just a residential enclave. A tiered public realm introduces varying degrees of accessibility. The ground level animates the streetscape with retail spaces and cultural markets. The mid-level fosters semi-public courtyards and gathering spaces. The upper terraces introduce green roofs and recreational zones that offer both respite and panoramic views. The repurposed parking deck emerges as an unexpected centerpiece, seamlessly integrating a greenway that threads through the development, enhancing mobility while doubling as a social and economic engine for the community. In doing so, the project reimagines underutilized space as a catalyst for cultural exchange, economic opportunity, and urban vitality, an architectural statement that embodies the evolving identity of Buford Highway.