National Design Award for Poplar Point Master Plan

Winstanley Architects & Planners is pleased to announce that it has won a national design award from the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) for their Poplar Point Master Plan in Washington, DC. This award represents the third national award MWAP has received in the last three years. The Design Award of Honor was presented formerly at the SARA National Convention at the New Museum in New York City.

This master plan was prepared for Washington, DC, developer Redbrick LMD who is currently a major land owner on Poplar Point. The purpose of the plan was to illustrate the incredible potential that exists for the District after the agreement between the District of Columbia and the National Park Service, giving the District control of the redevelopment of 110 acres along the Anacostia River. The master plan proposes a livable and meaningful mixed use development in an area of Anacostia that currently has no context. The design solution focused on the creation of a new arts district anchored on the water by a private modern art museum and a public exhibition building. As per the agreement, the plan assumes development of 40 acres from the total 110 acres.

The core framework of the plan is established by the bookends of the Anacostia Metro station and a new modern art museum on the shore of the Anacostia River. The main street (an extension of New Jersey Avenue to establish a connection to the L’Enfant plan) runs from the intermodal water taxi station through a spine of curated retail creating “Gallery Row” leading to an open triangular space called “Gallery Square” where arts fairs and other outdoor events can occur. The open space that sits adjacent to the water would be designed to accommodate a world class sculpture park with the most prominent location reserved for a future memorial as stated in the Memorials and Museums Master Plan created by the National Capital Planning Commission.

The program includes predominantly office space and multifamily residential both rental and for sale. Sites are reserved for hotels as well. Additional uses include an artist work-live building and a reserve for academic institutions. The project includes additional public spaces including Metro Plaza outside the metro station. Part of the transportation network of the project includes a water taxi stop with a multimodal facility on the water.

The Society of American Registered Architects was formed in 1956 in Atlanta Georgia by Wilfred J. Gregson as is open to anyone who carries an architectural license. The Credo for the organization is “Architect Helping Architect”.

Winstanley Architects & Planners is an architecture, planning and interior design firm located in a renovated warehouse in Old Town, Alexandria. Recent assignments include the Old Dominion Boat Club in Alexandria, VA; the restoration work at Union Station in Washington, and the Potomac River Transportation Framework Plan for the Washington metropolitan area.

The firm is also a registered small business enterprise.