Charm City Flats is a 5-story luxury apartment building located just north of Mount Vernon Square in the Mid-Town Belvedere neighborhood of Baltimore, MD. The new building will replace an existing 3-story multi-family building. The street facade, having been dismantled, will be reconstructed to preserve its historic charm. The project includes (5) large two bedroom flats with direct access to the unit off of the elevator. In order to respond to the “residential character” of the street there will be a significant setback at the 4th and 5th floors above the height of the existing cornice.  A basement will include amenity space for the residents, including a gym and community lounge.  

The fourth and fifth floor apartment units showcase walkout balconies overlooking the Baltimore skyline. At the fourth floor balcony, an operable cornice can be raised and lowered based on the tenant’s desired level of privacy. When closed, the cornice serves as a barrier between the exterior terrace and the bustling city below. When open, it functions as a horizontal window framing panoramic views of the skyline.

 

Location

Baltimore, MD

Area

15,000 SF

Amenities

Full Floor Luxury Apartments with Elevator Access

Community Lounge

Fitness Center

Community Roof Terrace

Centrally Located Light-well + Garden

 
 

CONCEPT DIAGRAM

STREET ELEVATION & PARTIAL SECTION

 
 
 
 

OPERABLE CORNICE ANIMATION

The overall design strategy is a result of the narrow relatively inaccessible site, which only allows access from the street and a small alley which extends along the buildings west side. The historic facade is the driver here, a foil against which the rest of the design decisions play. Behind the facade a simple, modern volume, with elegantly designed apartments is place. The upper two floors are set back significantly, maintain the historical scale of the street, while also creating a unique terrace at the fourth floor. A central light well cuts through the volume, dragging natural light deep into the middle of each unit, all the way down to the first floor lobby. At the bottom of the light well, a minimalist garden turns into the backdrop of the main lobby.

 

EXISTING CONDITIONS