Visio & Murano

The Visio and Murano are situated on a quiet street in the Greater U-Street Corridor of Washington, DC. Once considered DC’s Black Broadway, U Street was the center of the City’s Black music and arts community. With a rich fabric of quasi-industrial, it is fast becoming the epicenter of Washington’s contemporary music and visual arts scene once again. Acknowledging and incorporating elements from its historic context, the Visio and Murano are conceived as a modern interpretation of traditional Washington, DC infill row housing. The design deconstructs the typical bayfront row house, transforming it into a sculptural piece that represents the antithesis of the stereotypical modern glass box. The Visio and Murano’s height, mass, proportion, materials, and cut-away elements, subtly and elegantly relate to its neighbor, a historic African American church. The project has served to catalyze the development of the remaining infill sites in this transitioning neighborhood.

This work was designed and completed by Suman Sorg while at Sorg Architects.