Modern Developments

We're used to hearing architects and designers rail against the lack of ingenuity and craftsmanship in many of America's suburban developments, but not to hearing that they're actually building their own, more modern versions.

So kudos to Norman Smith of Norman Smith Architecture in Washington D.C. The firm, known for pared down, modern, energy efficient, luxury builds, joined with the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to create a new kind of condominium, City Overlook.

Set in D.C.'s Columbia Heights neighborhood, City Overlook features a green roof that is part garden, part sponge, and part insulation. In order to capitalize on the circulation of light and air, south-facing, full-height windows absorb heat in the winter. During the summer to reduce the need for air conditioning, the building is shaded with steel brise-soleil and balconies.

Set for completion in the early Summer of 2006, City Overlook stands more than 12 feet apart from neighborhood properties, features an exterior of Mondrian-like glass, and offers large open floor plans that complement each of the 18 units, ranging in size from 850 to 2,100 square feet.