Floating Communities Was Presented at 2019 Architecture Exchange East

This year’s Architecture Exchange East, annual conference of AIA Virginia, took place in historic Richmond, VA from November 6th to the 8th. Architecture Exchange East, or ArchEx, is the mid-Atlantic region’s premier conference and expo for architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and planners. Architecture Exchange East has more educational sessions, more vendors, and more attendees than any other architectural conference in the region. ArchEx features more than 70 educational sessions, behind-the-scenes architectural tours, engaging special events, and over 100 vendors in the ArchEx Exhibit Hall.

While ArchEx is always interesting, this year was especially interesting as both Michael Winstanley AIA AICP and Leejung Hong LEED AP were presenting. Leejung gave a wonderful presentation called Floating Communities: Cultural Shift to Living ON the Water. It discussed how floating communities are environmentally sound, socially focused, and a wellness living environment second to none.

Leejung presented the vision and plans for a series of floating communities ranging from a small community of 25 homes in an existing urban marina in downtown Washington, DC to a large 84 home new community in Woodbridge, VA. The proposed plans document a net-zero development of homes ranging from 1,500 gsf to 3,000 gsf each constructed on a concrete “float” foundation in a remote location and brought in by a barge and assembled to create a vibrant and integrated community. Power, water, and sewage are all part of the discussion a well as common facilities and shore-based support functions.

Michael Winstanley gave a very well received presentation called: Alexandria Riverfront Economic Framework Plan. The Alexandria Riverfront Economic Framework Plan is a road map to reinvigorate the waterfront into a vibrant economic engine that encourages cultural development, tourism, and urban mixed-use development. Five mixed-use commercial development zones are identified along the 4 mile waterfront and connected by both land based public transportation networks as well as (and more importantly) water based transportation networks that connect Alexandria to regional economic network emerging along the Potomac River.

Guidelines to development in the commercial zones focus on a mix of uses, bonus development for cultural and tourism uses, and water based recreation. As part of this plan the Alexandria RiverWalk emerged as an important driver to sustainable economic development.

Winstanley Architects & Planners is an architecture, planning, and interior design firm located in a renovated warehouse in Old Town, Alexandria. Recent assignments include the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown, the restoration work at Union Station in Washington, DC and the Stone Ridge School Field and Entrance in Bethesda, Maryland.

The firm is also a registered small business enterprise.

Further information on the firm can be found at the company’s website www.winstanleyarchitects.com or by contacting Geri Houston at 703 519 8081 or gch@winstanleyarchitects.com.