Office to Residential Conversion Symposium
view videoThe Wren
Streetsense developed a cohesive brand and interior design vision for The Wren, creating a naturally inspired and sophisticated residential retreat in the heart of DC’s Shaw neighborhood. The community stands out from the urban crowd with lush details, iconic amenity spaces, and mindful messaging—not to mention a Whole Foods on the ground floor.
Approach/
The services Streetsense provided for the Wren exemplify the creative strength inherent in collaboration between Streetsense studios: Branding Development, Interior Architecture, and Marketing. The unique opportunity Streetsense offers to engage all three of these teams helped moved the project from competitor research and brand identity, to the creation of best-in-class amenity interiors, to a marketing strategy that ensured the building gained tenants.
Crafting an Identity/
In collaboration with Edit at Streetsense (the Interior Architecture Team), the Brand Team created a strategic vision for the project rooted in the promise of creating “an introverted building in an extroverted neighborhood.” With this idea at the core, we crafted a beautiful and well-rounded identity for this luxury residential building that stands out in Shaw. A collection of textured—even plantable—collateral materials and a compelling digital experience drove rapid lease-up during the pandemic.
Fitness/
A particularly gorgeous part of the building— one of the many amenity spaces designed by the Interior Architecture team—is the gym. Working within The Wren’s constrained palette and emphasis on texture, the fitness center faces the building’s courtyard, highlighting natural light and views across two floors of fitness equipment. Double height sheer drapery and plants soften the space, creating an unexpectedly rich and tactile environment.
Integrated Marketing Strategy/
When it came to marketing The Wren, Streetsense had two unique challenges; the first was the need to craft a unique social media strategy that drove awareness and leases for The Wren without cannibalizing the marketing efforts of JBG SMITH’S other communities in the neighborhood. The second challenge was that The Wren opened at the height of the pandemic when renters were actively moving to suburban submarkets with more space and lower rents.
We developed a flighted social plan, launching our channels prior to leasing to grow our following and evolving the content and messaging focuses through construction, pre-leasing, and leasing. Using the identity created through the branding process, we highlighted the textures and designs of the units and amenities while also launching social media series rooted in mindfulness and wellness.
As the pandemic impacted renter priorities, we focused on the outdoor spaces and unit balconies, as well as socially-distant amenity spaces and adaptive floor plans. We used videos and 360 photos to highlight the community, while also promoting virtual tours.
Lease Up/
- 340%
Instagram followers
- +11K
web sessions from social
- 34%
web bounce rate from social
Despite opening during the pandemic, Streetsense’s efforts helped drive a rapid lease-up, and have cemented the building’s status as one of the premier multifamily destinations in the DC region.
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