Split. Cleveland Park, D.C. Fall 2024. Studio, third semester. Instructor Peter Stec. Collective Housing. This project splits each unit into two parts in order to turn an apartment building into a community. Washington, D.C. is densifying, and Connecticut Avenue has been rezoned. This project introduces 180 new bedrooms above a long, historic block of retail. Units manage to be thin and narrow by being split. Transverse section across Connecticut Avenue, facing North. The apartments are built above a huge block of single-story retail on a corridor the District has singled out for redevelopment. Axonometric – Full Unit (1–bedroom plus porch). To achieve the goal of this project, namely collective housing, each unit is split to tie the building together as a whole. Splitting the unit brings in serendipitous interactions and sunlight, but along with these opportunities come challenges like retaining flexibility and privacy. Although it is called a porch, the satellite room has been designed so that it could be used however the inhabitants want: as another living room, a bedroom, or even subleased as its own ADU-like studio apartment. Different unit sizes use their concrete core differently. But across all unit types, every utility is incorporated into the core along with as much of the interior separation as possible. The split is just a small shift away from how most DC rowhouses operate. Each unit is also split lengthwise into a heavy concrete core on one side and flexible open space on the other. Common DC rowhouse space organization. Space organization in Split!. Apartment core in plan – Working sketches. Most buildings in the block are listed as “contributing” to Cleveland Park’s Historic District status. Selectively demolishing only unlisted buildings while preserving all historic facades allows this block to maintain its unique character while adding dozens of apartments. some new retail replaces demolished facades.