The Vanguard

Located in Boise’s Central Addition neighborhood, The Vanguard was designed with students and young professionals in mind.

Project Details

Location

Boise, ID

Client

Visum Development

Year Completed

2022

Project Size

55,869 sq. ft.
75 units

Land Recognition

We have a responsibility to not only acknowledge but also elevate Native communities and their needs. This project is located in what is currently known as the Treasure Valley or Boise Valley, once home to Shoshone, Paiute, and Bannock people, collectively known as the Newe (the People). The Newe were forcibly removed from the area around 1869 when gold and silver were discovered. Their descendants are members of Tribes spread across a vast geography.

Educating ourselves is an important action. We encourage you to explore the stories of this community through Native-led resources like this state-wide acknowledgement by Antoinette Cavanaugh, member of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation.

Design that Honors Downtown Boise

Visum Development, based in Ithaca, New York, chose Holst to design their first development in the Boise market. The Vanguard provides 75 units of market-rate housing. The amenity-rich community is located in the developing Central Addition neighborhood, on the same block as the Basque Cultural Center. Design choices respond to the context of downtown historic buildings, neighborhood edges, and downtown circulation patterns.

Modern Design & Amenities

The studio, one-, and two-bedroom units feature a neutral, modern palette of white, light wood, and concrete. Common areas feature an industrial aesthetic, with sealed concrete floors, plywood finishes, metal details, and abstract murals throughout the building. The lobby serves as a welcoming entrance as well as a study/workspace. Additional amenities include plentiful bike parking, a ground-floor pet spa, a community lounge, and a shared roof deck with a fire pit and grill.

Geometric Response to Urban Context

At the corner of the site, five-lane West Front Street begins to curve away from the building. The building’s geometry projects over the right-of-way along Front Street; café seating below takes advantage of the buffer from the busy road. Board-formed concrete planters create additional separation from the street.