Refining Design Through Collaboration and Adaptability
Sitting across from Apex Town Hall, the high profile corner was to include retail, restaurants, and apartments as well as common amenities such as a clubhouse and leasing office.
Project Details:
- Project Name: Peak City Lofts
- Client: Enclave Holdings, LLC
- Location: Apex, NC
- Size: 99,000 sq ft, 5 Stories
- Project Type: Mixed Use, Retail
Client Challenge
Enclave Holdings set out to develop an innovative mixed use project in the Town of Apex, NC. Sitting across from Apex Town Hall, the high profile corner was to include retail, restaurants, and apartments as well as common amenities such as a clubhouse and leasing office.
After interviewing a number of architecture firms, Enclave chose to work with Finley Design based on our collaborative process, diverse portfolio and energy we would bring to the project. Our understanding of how to achieve sophisticated results with simple approaches to structure and design would prove invaluable to meet the goals of both Enclave Holdings and the surrounding community.
Design Approach
Enclave experienced our unique collaborative approach to the project from the very beginning. We focused on asked the right questions and listened to their goals for the project.Enclave Holdings had a very specific vision based on a project they had seen with a red brick warehouse feel. The project had the look of an adoptive reuse of an old warehouse.
To establish the vision, our team presented the developer with a selection of architectural inspiration images. Together, we selected the best 25 images that represented the desired look and feel that would become the brand and design for Peak City Lofts. This process was illuminating for both the client and architect, resulting in a broader selection of imagery and styles to define a collaborative vision for the project.
Our team then developed conceptual drawings to reflect Enclave’s initial ideas while adding creative concepts to expand their vision. We embraced the traditional concepts originally proposed and introduced contemporary elements for a fresh and urban look.
At each step of the process, we invited Enclave to review and discuss 3D renderings that serve to help the client visualize the project, collaborate and approve details. We responded to their feedback and refined the designs until both parties were satisfied with the end result.
Project Result
Our collaborative fusion of creative ideas resulted in a vibrant mixed use environment that embraced the original vision while expanding it to a broader and more sophisticated solution.
The end result for Peak City Lofts is a modern Mixed Use building that features 99,000 square feet of retail and residential space. The five story building includes a one story retail podium with four stories of apartments above.
The site was laid out to maximize visibility along two street frontages while allowing for the inclusion of a clubhouse and leasing office in an in-line retail space on the first floor. To maximize the building area, we added exterior projecting balconies that project over the building’s exterior and don’t count towards the square footage of the overall building. The exterior façade is relatively flat for a cost effective structure, but achieves a sophisticated aesthetic through a balanced composition of materials, colors, balconies, canopies, and details.
To satisfy town requirements and the client’s desire for a warehouse feel, we focused on a mix of masonry colors and types with accents of stucco. The color palette of red, charcoal, and gray brick achieve the desired industrial aesthetic while relating to the surrounding buildings. Detailed 3d renderings were instrumental in demonstrating how the building would fit into the existing downtown context, and to achieve approval from the Town of Apex Planning Department. The initial resistance from planning staff to the proposed exterior elevations was satisfied with a few subtle details like adding simple cornices to portions of the building.
