Wonder Plaza at Howard University

Located at the southwest corner of the Howard University campus in Washington, DC, Wonder Plaza will serve as the new campus gateway, bridging between the hilltop campus core and the mixed-use residential neighborhoods of Shaw and LeDroit Park, and between new developments west of Georgia Avenue and historic buildings to the east. The project is designed to add to the growing retail presence encompassed in the University’s DUKE District campus strategy and to improve the pedestrian experience. The programming, guided by student feedback, includes much needed student housing close to the campus core, a state-of-the-art Health & Wellness (H&W) facility, engaging street-level retail, and below-grade parking.

Retail, iLab, and H&W will form the street-level podium of the building, while the 275,000-sf Student Housing tower will be placed above the podium, with an entry plaza reinforcing the campus gateway. The apartment-style Student Housing component will consist of 2BR, 4BR/2BA, and Studio unit types. The courtyard-level entry lobby includes a leasing office, mail services, social lounges, and a variety of study spaces. A private, landscaped courtyard will encourage social gathering and outdoor study. The H&W component is comprised of an activity zone, including two basketball courts, weight training and fitness areas, and multipurpose rooms; wellness space, including a fitness assessment and testing lab, wellness resource room, and classroom/meeting rooms; and an administrative suite. The iLab will provide tech infrastructure for study and classroom spaces, and will potentially welcome the campus IT department back to the site in the project’s second phase.

The original Wonder Bread building was built on the northwest corner of the site in 1902, and the northern façade retains most of its original integrity. With southward expansions in 1911 and 1913, the middle and southern façades retain a mixture of moderate modification and iconic arched openings. While the existing structures do not have official historic status, Howard University and the local community have embraced the historic and cultural significance of the building. The development team plans to retain and restore a meaningful amount of the existing façade.

WDG meticulously crafted the vision of Wonder Plaza to weave modern designs into the traditional Howard campus fabric, creating a new age of building design standards at the University. The design utilizes the historic façade along Georgia Avenue, incorporates the existing university architectural materials and colors, and implements designs that complement the neighboring contemporary buildings to create this class A, higher learning institution building.