Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City

MMD is the architect for Bread for the City’s new Southeast Center. The $26 million project officially opened on September 3rd, 2020 with a virtual grand opening and ribbon cutting. The new Southeast Center will serve 20,000 clients through 75,000 total visits each year, serving vulnerable members of the community with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services. The center will treat more than 2,000 patients, providing primary and behavioral healthcare, dental care and vision care. This location serves as the “flagship” facility for the organization, which has helped Washington, DC residents living with low income to develop the power to determine the future of their own communities.

The organization has a very specific process and culture, which has informed the design. The building is entered directly from the sidewalk, with retail programming on the first level and parking spaces located at the rear of the building. An elevator will provide vertical access to all four floors of the project. The modern design combines an open, welcoming feel with the appropriate context for the other community structures. The use of brick as part of the building facade not only provide a sense of continuity with the existing structures along Good Hope Road, but also a sense of security, rendering the main entrance facade as the view into the building’s interior space. The new facility will be more than two times the size of the existing facility, and will allow the organization to greatly expand both the depth and breadth of services offered.