Architecture DC Magazine has featured The Zoe in its Spring 2026 issue, highlighting the project’s role in shaping the evolving Crystal City neighborhood.
Located in Arlington, Virginia, The Zoe rises within an area undergoing significant transformation following the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, which between 2005 and 2011 led to the relocation of approximately 17,000 jobs and the vacancy of roughly 4.2 million square feet of office space. Arlington County’s Crystal City Sector Plan, released in 2010, built on that shift, outlining a comprehensive vision for redevelopment, new public spaces, and improved connectivity to reestablish the area as a vibrant, mixed-use district.
Within this framework, The Zoe responds to a tightly constrained site shaped by layered planning and zoning requirements, including height transitions, setbacks, and active ground-floor uses. The building’s massing is articulated through vertical balcony stacks that break down its scale while reinforcing a strong street presence, an approach that reflects a broader shift toward more expressive, design-forward development in the area. As noted in the feature,
“The Crystal City Sector Plan, for all its aspiration and specificity, seems to have overlooked the possibility that ambitious design might be the norm, rather than the mandated exception.”
The project delivers a mix of residential units and amenities within a design that balances visual impact with performance, including LEED Gold certification. SK&A served as the structural engineer, designing coordinated structural systems that support the building’s form while integrating with the shared below-grade parking structure across the broader development.
We extend our appreciation to the project partners who helped bring this vision to life, including developer JBG SMITH, design architect STUDIOS Architecture, architect of record SK+I, and general contractor Balfour Beatty.
Learn more about SK&A’s work on this project here.
Read the full Spring 2026 feature in Architecture DC Magazine here.
Source: Dickens, S. K. “Green Crystal: Vibrantly Colored Tower Enlivens a Transforming Neighborhood.” Architecture DC, Spring 2026.
