Winter 2022

Dual Personalities

Written by Andrea Glinn  |  Photos by Michael Robinson

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t the corner of 18th and Walnut, a new type of luxury residence climbs skyward in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District. Reverb is defined by its differentiators and dualities, orchestrated by a collaborative and holistic design and construction team.

The differentiators are both aesthetic and operational. The exposed concrete post-and-beam frame mimics the surrounding historic brick infill buildings, but the aluminum and glass façade distinguishes the high-rise as new and notable. Sibling designers—architect Trevor Hoiland and interior designer Tiffani Link, along with an integrated team at Burns & McDonnell—set out to create a different type of living experience than what’s currently available.

“Many local multifamily buildings, whether urban or suburban, are full of amenities that may never be fully used by tenants,” Trevor observes. At Reverb, “the neighborhood is the amenity. Go to the bar, gym or restaurant you like. The goal isn’t to just stay in the building but to get out and experience the city.”

Another design difference includes maximizing the flexibility within the units to allow for various layouts and configurations of furnishings. “We wanted the apartments to feel really open, like a loft, and to keep them as simple and clean as possible. Nice walnut cabinetry, polished concrete floors and white walls, and let it be just that simple. Tenants are coming in and putting their own personality in the unit; we are not dictating where the furniture has to go,” Trevor says.

The team also wanted Reverb to contrast with other living options in the neighborhood by offering a quiet reprieve amid the bustling city below. He pulled the idea of duality into the design concept, creating a building with one simple, contained and introverted side and an opposing face that is exaggerated, reaching and extroverted.

The east façade is clad in graphite aluminum and appears dark in the sky, with the occasional wink of light from the apartments within. The west façade, meanwhile, is clad in titanium aluminum and changes throughout the day, reflecting the colors of the sky. The sleepy side faces east, while the active side reverberates toward the streetcar on Main Street—the main north–south artery connecting the River Market through downtown.

With all the design-build team members in-house, the success of the project is impacted by the success of these relationships, and having siblings as design leads didn’t hurt.

“We don’t have to debate,” Trevor reflects. “Wherever I leave it, she just picks up and goes. There is something there that makes it really easy to go from concept to completion, and I don’t have that with anybody else.”

They both agreed that the theme of duality would extend to the interiors concept as well. “The lobby is darker—more muted—and has a moody vibe, and as we move up the building, it gets sun-bleached,” Tiffani explains.

In addition to integrating the interior design early in the process of the architectural design at Reverb, the design schedule was longer than typical, allowing for a slower and more thoughtful approach. For example, the 14th-floor tenant lounge (known as the Soundgarden) has been curated with a record player and a record collection procured by Josey Records and potted plants personally selected by Tiffani, with the help of Paradise Garden Club.

This 14-story, 132-unit apartment building was a first project of its type for Burns & McDonnell and because of its success, the firm is now building thoughtful, holistically designed multifamily residential projects across the country.

 

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The Mercury Room on the 14th Floor, owned by Exit Strategy.

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