Charlottesville’s Center of Developing Entrepreneurs (CODE) is a beguiling chameleon, created to foster the growth of new local businesses while also engaging its community. Designed by the local firm WOLF ACKERMAN and the New Orleans-based EskewDµmezRipple (EDR), which has a second office in Washington, D.C., the project was conceived by CSH Development to encourage nearby University of Virginia graduates to remain in the city. The goal: to transform it into a business hub that could compete with the likes of Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas. "The whole idea of the building was, utilizing the concept of a coworking space as an entry point for young people," says EDR principal Jose Alvarez. This vision-to attract and nurture talent within a building-he says, inspired a form that steps from level to level to symbolize how one can move up and "grow" a business.
Each stepped rooftop is protected with Hydrotech’s Garden Roof and Architectural Paver/Wood Tile Ultimate Assemblies, which are accessible by tenants who can enjoy panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
