The Wharf, Southwest DC’s popular and picturesque destination on the Potomac, recently welcomed a new addition: Pendry Washington DC—The Wharf. The 131-room waterfront hotel is part of a 385,000-square-foot, mixed-use enclave that also encompasses 255 apartment units; the hotel and residences sit atop extensive retail space. 

New York-based architecture firm ODA conceived the project, known as The Wharf Parcel 8. Massed in the shape of a U, the structure comprises the hotel (pictured above) on one side with the apartments contained on the other. “We decided the hotel rooms would benefit from clear, unobstructed views of the water, while the residential units would be better suited to private outdoor spaces,” explains Eran Chen, ODA’s principal-in-charge on the project. “So the residential wing steps back and the hotel is pushed forward, creating a harmonious give and take.” 

Glass and metal clad the hotel while wood-stamped aluminum accents “warm and connect it to its natural context,” Chen notes. Courtyards inspired by those found in old European cities promote a strong indoor-outdoor connection; one at street level spills out to a shaded plaza and a boardwalk while another on the second floor is open to residents and hotel guests. 

The hotel cantilevers above the courtyards to facilitate water views from every guest room. This design creates more usable rooftop space for Moonraker, the hotel’s Japanese-inspired restaurant. The Pendry is also home to a Latin eatery called Flora Flora, the intimate Bar Pendry and a full-service spa. pendry.com/washington-dc

Architecture & Architect of Record: Eran Chen, AIA, founder and executive director, ODA, New York, New York. Interior Design: DesignAgency, Washington, DC. Contractor: Donohoe, Washington, DC.