Assignment 9: Erica

Post Stratford is a community of mid-rise, garden apartment homes constructed around 2000 and located in the Buckhead "Financial District" on a dead end road leading off Peachtree Street. Advertisements for the apartments highlight its central location and easy access to transportation, in addition to offering "city living" through both loft and standard apartments. It predates its surrounding buildings, which include high rise residential buildings and office towers, and is located in the middle of an urban area. Despite this location, it is a relatively quiet, tree-lined street with extensive landscaping surrounding the buildings and only one small parking lot (with six spaces) located at the front of the leasing office. The foliage serves to block views of the surrounding office buildings and nearby busy streets like the Buckhead Loop and GA-400, but the cars and MARTA can still be heard. The size of the building(s) is unclear from the street because they have no setback and entrances are set right on the sidewalk.
The layout of the apartment buildings centers around three interior courtyards and a parking garage, which is not visible from the street. Cars enter the complex through an archway that leads directly into the parking garage and must pass through a gate to park past the visitor parking area. Cars exit through a similar archway after following a short driveway through the heavily landscaped, primary courtyard. Pedestrian thoroughfares are also gated but only some can be used as entrances; these often lead directly into the hallways of apartments or to elevators. The overall style of the buildings is rather bland in both design and color, combining beige and pastels with dark blue accents somewhat reminiscent of the 1990s. The facades are varied with different types and sizes of windows as well as balconies protruding at complimentary lengths. The building height also varies from three to five stories in an effort to maintain a similar facade on the hillside street. The most interesting part of the complex is how the bare appearance of the street leads to a lush, sun-filled courtyard from which one can view the Buckhead skyline.

(This photo shows the entrance archway running under the apartments and into the parking garage)

The name "Post Stratford" might suggest an opportunity for some historicist design, but sadly only demonstrates some 1990s idea of futurism. In fact, the name simply derives from the Post property management dynasty and the complex's location on Stratford Road. The combination of loft and garden apartment homes in one building suggests the company was attempting to please multiple markets when it was constructed. This would make sense when building on a formerly single-family residential street and unsure of exactly what market will be settling in here. The apartment sizes range from studios to three bedrooms and thus could easily house a family, but are more likely are intended for young professionals. The grounds and landscaping were eerily immaculate except for the pool in the central courtyard, which appeared to be under construction.