Sinclaire on Seminary breathes new life into a formerly under-utilized office building, converting it into a residential haven that is primed for working from home. Its 212 market-rate apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, 9-foot-6-inch ceilings, oversized closets, and live-work opportunities, both inside many apartments and in the building’s common areas. The project also contributes to an evolving urban environment with ground-floor retail space.

The overall vision for Sinclaire was to create a cost-, energy-, and carbon-efficient transformation. The design team achieved these goals by using existing materials, creating efficient apartment-plan designs, adding amenities such as outdoor terraces and a walking trail, and making budget-conscious choices to renovate the exterior façade. We retained strategic portions of the building in the process of converting it into a residential complex.

To maintain a connection with the building’s past, the design team strategically reused much of the existing façade while incorporating operable windows into every residence. Removing the curtain wall gave us the opportunity to attach gracious balconies to exposed corners, enhancing the apartments’ overall aesthetic and livability.

The building’s interior was nearly gutted, with the exception of certain elements such as stairs, elevators, and electrical rooms. The resulting interiors draw inspiration from contemporary residential projects, departing from the outdated 1980s office design. The ground floor’s common areas were planned with a seamless flow through distinct spaces for uses such as conferences or quiet work space.

Given each apartment’s wall-to-wall windows, even the deepest bedrooms have ample light, while the living spaces become more expansive. Dens, meanwhile, double as functioning workspaces. We used the remaining central core space of the old office building to consolidate electrical services on alternate floors and provide leasable storage space for residents outside their apartments.

Situated in the heart of Alexandria’s Beauregard neighborhood, Sinclaire on Seminary benefits from its proximity to major commuter connections, allowing residents easy access to greater Alexandria and the DC-Maryland-Virginia region.