Margarite is a 260-unit, top-of-market residential development in the rapidly evolving Union Market neighborhood of NE D.C. Grosvenor is known for creating high-quality, thoughtful residential developments in North America. Still, before Margarite, they had yet to develop any residential properties in the D.C. market. Grosvenor was determined to seize the opportunity and showcase their approach to a new market while creating an exceptional product in a great neighborhood.
The property fully leased before construction was complete.
We opted to leverage the neighborhood as one of our main amenities as the ying to our yang. Margarite is refined and relaxing, whereas Union Market is bustling and a bit gritty.
In addition, we wanted to position Grosvenor as a tastemaker in the neighborhood, not merely showcasing everything the neighborhood had to offer but highlighting their favorites through a curated list they keep up to date via a neighborhood insider’s guide we developed with them.
Much of Union Market trends towards a younger crowd: single, just out-of-school professionals. Margarite looked towards slightly older, established professionals, most likely without children, who could live outside the city but opt not to—those looking to enjoy an urban lifestyle with the ability to retreat to a serene home environment.
Every decision focused on cultivating that sense of peace and tranquility alongside a feeling of elevated living that maintained its approachability.
We opted to leverage the neighborhood as one of our main amenities as the ying to our yang. Margarite is refined and relaxing, whereas Union Market is bustling and a bit gritty.
In addition, we wanted to position Grosvenor as a tastemaker in the neighborhood, not merely showcasing everything the neighborhood had to offer but highlighting their favorites through a curated list they keep up to date via a neighborhood insider’s guide we developed with them.
Margarite is a 260-unit, top-of-market residential development in the rapidly evolving Union Market neighborhood of NE D.C. Grosvenor is known for creating high-quality, thoughtful residential developments in North America. Still, before Margarite, they had yet to develop any residential properties in the D.C. market. Grosvenor was determined to seize the opportunity and showcase their approach to a new market while creating an exceptional product in a great neighborhood.
The property fully leased before construction was complete.
Competition between apartment developments can be fierce, and the battle for the best amenities is part and parcel of that. But what happens if your client opts to not participate? When Grosvenor approached us to work on Margarite, they tasked us with showcasing the property as a cut above the rest, yet with minimal in-house amenities. We would need to frame it in another light from their neighbors.
We opted to leverage the neighborhood as one of our main amenities as the ying to our yang. Margarite is refined and relaxing, whereas Union Market is bustling and a bit gritty.
In addition, we wanted to position Grosvenor as a tastemaker in the neighborhood, not merely showcasing everything the neighborhood had to offer but highlighting their favorites through a curated list they keep up to date via a neighborhood insider’s guide we developed with them.
Much of Union Market trends towards a younger crowd: single, just out-of-school professionals. Margarite looked towards slightly older, established professionals, most likely without children, who could live outside the city but opt not to—those looking to enjoy an urban lifestyle with the ability to retreat to a serene home environment.
Every decision focused on cultivating that sense of peace and tranquility alongside a feeling of elevated living that maintained its approachability.
From the start, we had only one requirement: whatever we named the property needed to refer back to the architecture. The design is reminiscent of an oyster shell, with a hard brick facade on the backside and a glass facade along the front side of the building. It cradles the only public park in the neighborhood–Neal Park Place.
The name Margarite has Greek origins, meaning pearl. The park, the only public park in the neighborhood, represents the pearl. The building, with its glass facade cradling the park and brick exterior on the opposing side, represents the shell. Oyster shell topography features throughout the brand, along with references to the pearl.
