The View at Montgomery is an innovative mixed-use apartment complex at the site of the former John Wanamaker School. This 14-story student housing building at Temple University’s main campus features 238 units, street-level retail, and sustainable storm water management. With best-in-class retail tenants including Chipotle, Potbelly, Blaze Pizza and Crisp, The View has re-energized one of Temple University’s most active campus streets and has become a hub for the Temple University community​. The project received the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) prestigious Award for Excellence, which recognizes top projects completed within the last five years by ULI members and non-members throughout Eastern and Central PA, NJ and DE.

While the building was highly successful and fully-leased before its completion, the developer, The Goldenberg Group, had even higher aspirations for the facility. DDI was commissioned to provide design recommendations that would bring a “wow” factor, increase utilization and activate the public spaces, and act as a positive differentiator for the property against the competition. Recognizing the need to re-plan and repurpose the large open lobby space, while acknowledging the limited budget allowed for the project, the DDI design team drew on their workplace and hospitality experience designing for millennials and created a plan incorporating smaller, more private, collaborative huddle and study areas.