This project is a hypothetical solution submitted as part of the 2023 Emerging Professionals Design Competition hosted by the AIA Milwaukee Emerging Professionals Committee.

Projects were focused on a 2.5-acre site on the bank of the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee’s Harbor District. The site is pedestrian and river-front focused, lending itself to the described micro-apartment program as seen in other prominent global cities.

Harbor Studios was awarded First Place in the 2023 Design Competition. It was designed and submitted by Josh Ehr, AIA, of Studio Ehr.

Design for Integration What is the big idea behind this project and how did the approach toward sustainability inform the design concept?

When considering the mixed-use building program and the neighborhood it will reside in, contextual continuity is very important. The neighborhood’s many robust warehouse buildings have been in use in various capacities for over 100 years: storage, industry, residential and commercial. A modernized warehouse building type utilizing time tested sustainable techniques such as passive ventilation, solar shading, passive & active solar combined with innovative mass timber construction create a forward-thinking project, while connecting to the neighborhood’s history.

An innovative, “good neighbor” building design ensures community acceptance and care for the new building. A part of sustainable design is creating neighborhood continuity through design and enhancing the identity of the community by complimenting it.

Natural materials, such as brick exterior and mass timber interior enhance appeal and connect to our warehouse neighbors. The robust building increases durability, lowers long term maintenance, and ensures future adaptability as needs change.

Design for Equitable Communities How does this project contribute to creating a walkable, human-scaled community inside and outside the property lines?

The building mass and articulation redefines the street and river wall forming a scaled backdrop to public life.

The layout of the ground floor puts the human experience front and center. Residential and commercial spaces have direct access to street and river along with large daylit views. The commercial spaces are stepped forward as they proceed along the river to enable visibility to 1st street. Pocket plazas are formed in the stepping of the building and are flexible to accommodate different activities. Car parking is relegated to the center of the building so the edges; sidewalk, river and bike trail are directly connected to the entries. East Anderson Street has new life as a primary bike connector to the building and 1st Street. This street also serves as the main car access to the parking structure.

Residential units surround three daylit and vegetated atriums providing a stronger feeling of community, while large balcony rooms connect residents to the larger city beyond.

Design for Ecology In what ways does the design respond to the ecology of its place?

The building connects its inhabitants to nature through extensive views towards the river, lake and city. Biophilic design is achieved through day lit public and private spaces, vegetated internal atriums and a community green roof for residents. The ground floor of the site contains extensive tree canopy for shade and habitat as well as a new riverfront shoreline ecology with aquatic vegetated habitat around the boardwalk to support aquatic species and help clean the river water. A terraced wetland habitat gathers excess storm water, filters it and slowly releases it into the river.

Design for Water How does the project relate to the regional watershed?

The project handles water from top to bottom. Extensive green roofs on the third and seventh levels retain water and provide habitat. Underground cisterns collect rainwater used for site irrigation. Porous paving around deep interconnected tree planters with aqua blox provide for a large root system and increase stormwater retention.

A terraced, artificial wetland habitat collects excess storm water, filters it and slowly releases it into the river. The riverfront has a new shoreline ecology with aquatic vegetated habitat around the boardwalk to support aquatic species and help clean the river water.

Design for Economy How does the project efficiently meet the program and design challenges and provide “more with less?”

The building utilizes a straightforward mass timber structural system in a modular manner to simplify construction and internal spaces. Prefabricated brick balconies are assembled around the perimeter of the buildings. They provide solar control and provide more living space to each unit by having exterior doors which can close the balcony from weather. Often attached balconies sit idle during cold months. These balconies act as 4 season rooms while provide sustainable attributes.

The units are designed to be efficient and flexible. The larger main room is meant to be fully accessible based on the renter’s needs, so there are no loft spaces or designated / built-in Murphy beds. The renter can determine the use and furniture arrangement of the room therefore all units can be marketed to the widest demographic of renters from young to old.

Design for Energy Are the project’s design and systems energy-efficient and sustainable while improving building performance, function, comfort, and enjoyment?

This building contains multiple active and passive energy strategies. There are photovoltaic arrays on each mass timber neighborhood rooftop. Units can be passively ventilated by opening up balcony doors and then through the internal atrium. Balconies provide solar reduction in summer months and thermal buffering to reduce heating & cooling energy loads. Ample daylighting in all units, hallways and atriums lessens the amount of artificial lighting needed. Highly insulated exterior walls assist in temperature regulation while extensive green roofs on third and seventh levels increase insulation to the spaces below.

Design for Wellness How does the design promote the health of the occupants?

The scale of the building is broken down into three mass timber framed “neighborhoods.” Each neighborhood has a central daylit and vegetated atrium. The small 350sf units can increase their size through the flexible and closeable balcony as additional conditioned living space. The internal atriums acts as a communal courtyard so hallways feel like daylit front porches, and you feel part of a neighborhood.

The units and common areas are designed with natural materials, ample daylight and views both to the exterior city and interior courtyards to promote a calm yet connected atmosphere. There are separated parking entrances and building entrances for residents, away from the commercial
tenants to ensure safety

Design for Resources What materials selection criteria and considerations were implemented and how did design efforts optimize the amount of material used on the project?

The materials relate to the nature of the neighborhood’s warehouses. Brick, “mass” timber, metal accents such as railings and industrial windows and doors. The only areas that receive concrete construction would be egress cores and the parking structure.

The project is meant to be durable and last as long or longer as the surrounding historic warehouse buildings. Materials were optimized by employing a simple structural logic where there are no wasted moments and many elements such as the prefabricated brick balconies perform multiple features.

Design for Change Is the building resilient, and able to easily accommodate other future uses?

The building is design to accommodate the program set forth by the brief, while allowing adaptability to future needs. By utilizing mass timber frame construction, space can be reconfigured over time as needs change while not impacting the integrity of the building. The robust wood and brick building increases durability, lowers long term maintenance and ensures future adaptability as needs change. The ground floor commercial spaces are two stories tall which allows the ability to create future mezzanines and even two levels if needed.

Design for Discovery What lessons for better design have been learned through the process of project design, construction, and occupancy, and how have these been incorporated in subsequent projects?

Building sustainable and functional buildings works better when they are integrated into the existing neighborhood. Contextual continuity should inform design decisions, while innovative and modern technology can be applied to evolve time tested building types.

Text & imagery above provided by submission materials.