The George is a dynamic, mixed-use city building in Atlanta, Georgia, offering high-end, contemporary apartments in historic Grant Park. Ironwood Design Group was brought in to develop the SkyPad, a deluxe rooftop amenity with panoramic city views. Inspired by the clean contemporary lines and urban whimsy of The George’s apartment homes, Ironwood developed an outdoor space as fresh as it is luxurious. The SkyPad’s saltwater pool features an extra-wide sun shelf and unique loungers, and the intimate firepit area is covered by a custom-designed steel pergola, painted a buoyant aqua, and topped with elegant Brazilian Ipe hardwood timbers. The design fuses The George’s youthful energy with a timeless, classical approach. Sam Sampson, Ironwood’s Director of Construction Services, explains, “The elements are very clean, very minimalist – but with high-end finishes that appeal to residents of all ages”.
Ironwood partnered with local pre-cast concrete producer, Killer Crete, to create the minimalist planters and sleek hand-poured firepit, for a sophisticated design that evokes Atlanta’s industrial legacy. The elongated, concrete planters, featuring native Georgian plants with a lively color palette, divide amenity areas with clean lines to create intimate rooms within the shared space.
To enhance The George’s spectacular views of the Atlanta skyline and historic Grant Park, Ironwood surrounded the SkyPad perimeter with a cut-glass railing, opening the space to the city views beyond and enhancing the rooftop’s clean sophistication from every angle.
The SkyPad also features a 20-foot-long full-service bar and kitchen, 2 flat-screen TVs, a bocce ball court, and abundant seating for relaxing sunny weekends or chilly fireside evenings. Elegant shade sails, bright trellis structures, and steel-paneled handrails create design continuity throughout the space while offering bold details that elevate The George’s fresh, cosmopolitan appeal. “Modern landscape architecture has really come full circle, back to the clean geometry of traditional architecture”, Sampson notes. “We’ve applied a classic style and given it a sleek, modern interpretation”.
The George’s unique design and immaculate details have drawn praise from city residents and architectural leaders alike: in 2018, it won the People’s Choice Award from the Georgia chapter of the American Institute of Architects. As the AIA noted in its award, The George “contributes to Eastside Atlanta’s nascent urbanism dynamically and progressively.” Ironwood Design Group is proud of its contribution to The George, adding another legacy building to Atlanta’s historic city skyline.
