201 E Pratt St.
A mass timber terraced pyramid precedent by 3XN Architects, illustrating how large-scale commercial or mixed-use massing can step down to integrate public green roofs and waterfront connectivity.
- What we like about this project
- An expansive terraced public staircase and planted landscape cuts directly up the side of the building volume.
Materials
- mass-timber
- glass
- planting
- concrete
- paving
Visual identifiers
- terraced-pyramid
- mass-timber
- stepped-green-roof
- waterfront-promenade
Style tags
- contemporary
- ecological
- mass-timber
- biophilic
Visual tags
- mass-timber
- terraced
- waterfront
- mixed-use
- public-realm
- sustainable
- Geometry
- A stepped triangular massing profile cascades down toward a waterfront plaza, integrating multiple habitable terraced levels and landscaped green roofs.
- Facade system
- Exposed mass timber post-and-beam structure with floor-to-ceiling glass and continuous balcony shading.
- Structural guess
- Exposed mass timber glulam post-and-beam framing with CLT floor slabs.
- Spatial scale
- Large multi-story urban development with human-scaled retail ground floor and accessible terrace paths.
- Lighting
- Bright direct daylight casting soft shadows across the deep recessed balconies and sloped green landscape.
- Atmosphere
- Vibrant, open, and community-oriented, blending civic landscape with architectural timber framing.
- Environmental context
- Dense urban waterfront setting adjacent to high-rise towers, a marina, and a historic ship berthed at the quay.
- Spatial experience
- The building opens outward to the water, drawing public circulation up along exterior landscaped terraces and framing views across the harbor.
- Composition rhythm
- Horizontal timber structural grids alternate with deep recessed terraces and vertical planters.
- Style reading
- Contemporary ecological mass timber architecture
- Program
- Mixed-use commercial, retail, and public amenity
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture
- Materials
- mass-timber, glass, planting, concrete, paving
- Visual identifiers
- terraced-pyramid, mass-timber, stepped-green-roof, waterfront-promenade
- Style tags
- contemporary, ecological, mass-timber, biophilic
- Visual tags
- mass-timber, terraced, waterfront, mixed-use, public-realm, sustainable
- Geometry
- A stepped triangular massing profile cascades down toward a waterfront plaza, integrating multiple habitable terraced levels and landscaped green roofs.
- Facade system
- Exposed mass timber post-and-beam structure with floor-to-ceiling glass and continuous balcony shading.
- Structural guess
- Exposed mass timber glulam post-and-beam framing with CLT floor slabs.
- Spatial scale
- Large multi-story urban development with human-scaled retail ground floor and accessible terrace paths.
- Lighting
- Bright direct daylight casting soft shadows across the deep recessed balconies and sloped green landscape.
- Atmosphere
- Vibrant, open, and community-oriented, blending civic landscape with architectural timber framing.
- Environmental context
- Dense urban waterfront setting adjacent to high-rise towers, a marina, and a historic ship berthed at the quay.
- Spatial experience
- The building opens outward to the water, drawing public circulation up along exterior landscaped terraces and framing views across the harbor.
- Composition rhythm
- Horizontal timber structural grids alternate with deep recessed terraces and vertical planters.
- Style reading
- Contemporary ecological mass timber architecture
- Program
- Mixed-use commercial, retail, and public amenity
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture