The Capitol Arch Apartments building downtown is home to a complex program that includes residential, office, and retail front spaces, pulling from the local context and history of Columbus. From the massing to the material choices, the building distinguishes itself from other buildings around it, while abstracting what it is to be a part of Columbus and using that information to generate a building form-work.
The strong history of Columbus flows like the raging Scioto River. Traditional districts like the German and Italian Villages are reflected in the peaking roofs and simple use of brick material. A courtyard weaves, in reflection of Columbus’ rivers, a way through the center of the building creating green space. A walking path decorated by local artisans incorporates the rejuvenated art scene from places like Franklinton Park and a post-modern abstraction of the Columbus’s infamous arch adorns the pedestrian entrance. Columbus is a big city with a small town feel and the sprawling building layout makes the apartments a retreat from the hyper urbanity of the downtown. However, while Columbus is proud of its history and traditions, it has always been and continues to be a forward looking city.
The early industrial side of Columbus has been replaced in recent years with jobs in the technology and consulting fields. Columbus has year after year been considered among the top cities in the country for those in the technology, and the abstract nature of both the form and carbon fiber make Capitol Arch Apartments a building that, like Columbus, is at the forefront of design sensibilities, while making a mark in the city. The scale of heavy brutalism as seen in parts of the city’s skyline is seen in the sprawl of the building and points on the building which are over-scaled, such as the pitching of the roofs.
Columbus as a city and the nature of the program are diverse and Capitol Arch Apartments attempts to consolidate these differences into a cohesive whole.
