AIA reveals schematic design for first-ever comprehensive renovation of its D.C. headquarters

Like any 50-calendar year-old making, AIA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters
is showing its age. Antiquated, inefficient devices are fraying and breaking
down, an evolving place of work society has rendered its siloed spaces out of date,
and the Brutalist ideals that formed its higher-walled street existence have specified
way to a need for transparency and engagement. In short, the setting up no
more time serves as an successful or powerful room for AIA personnel to perform or
members to pay a visit to, nor does it finest mirror the
organization’s values.

“AIA’s headquarters ought to serve as an expression of the benefit
architects provide and align with the values we uphold as a occupation,” states
AIA 2022 President Dan Hart, FAIA. “We have a obligation to redesign this
legendary creating to the optimum requirements in sustainability, resilience, and
equity.”

“We have
a responsibility to redesign this legendary developing to the highest standards in
sustainability, resilience, and equity.”  – AIA 2022 President Dan
Hart, FAIA

To have out the building’s initially-ever extensive renovation,
the Board of Administrators chosen a venture team led by San Francisco–based
architecture firm EHDD, with Hood Style and design Studio, Hartman-Cox Architects, and Place Energy Innovations as
consultants, and Turner Building Firm overseeing
construction management. The undertaking kicked off in 2020, and now AIA is pleased
to share the team’s schematic design.

The AIA’s headquarters developing was intended by The Architects
Collaborative, the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based huge of Postwar Modernism
established by the likes of John Harkness, FAIA, and Walter Gropius. Supposed to
generate a statement about Present day architecture in a heavily Federalist
neighborhood, the constructing employed the chopping-edge know-how of its day. But 50
several years of breakthroughs in constructing technological know-how display that the lack of insulation
in the concrete walls and the single-paned windows are terribly inefficient. In the same way,
primary techniques these kinds of as gasoline-fired boilers really don’t keep with the sustainable
standards of the day.

If the authentic constructing was meant to make a statement about
design and style, the objective of the renovation is to reveal the energy of architects and
architecture to renovate the current developed natural environment for an inclusive and
local climate-positive foreseeable future.

Since preserving the embodied carbon is essential to decarbonizing the
campus, EHDD produced a scheme—designed in accordance with the Framework
for Style Excellence—that will reinvent the current making, fairly than starting up
anew. On the major south- and west-struggling with façades, preset photo voltaic shades earlier mentioned
new double-pane very low-E glazing will decrease heat gain and produce less of a
stress for electrified creating systems—all of which will be driven by on- and
off-web-site renewable energy. A new performative interesting roof below a 125 kW PV array
will even further regulate the thermal resistance of the structure.

A reprogrammed courtyard will invite members of AIA and the
Washington, D.C., community alike to engage with the constructing. Relocating the
retail store to the entrance of the constructing alongside New York Avenue will raise
visibility and foot visitors to the web site, inviting persons to store and to stay to
master additional about architecture.

Inside of, the glass-lined atrium is staying reimagined as an inside
yard, leveraging all the health added benefits of biophilia to make a extra
dynamic area. The floor-flooring welcome centre will element landing spaces as
effectively as galleries that show function from a diverse cross-section of AIA users
and parts.

A new lessen stage will household drop-in collaboration and coworking
areas and facilities these kinds of as a exercise centre, mother’s area, library, VR/media
lounges, espresso area, and archives. The 2nd ground will host the AIA’s
advocacy middle as well as more coworking house and a hosting suite to deliver
office environment and conference space for traveling to users. The 3rd- and fourth-ground
workspaces for AIA workers will element open and enclosed collaborative areas as
properly as open up-plan workstations and retreats for targeted function together with social
spaces that are lacking in the present-day set up. This will enable far more
interconnectivity involving AIA departments that will streamline systems and
benefit customers across the country.

“This
headquarters renewal will dramatically remodel AIA’s dwelling for workers, customers,
and people by fostering connection to the neighborhood serving as a product of stewardship
and sustainability for the general public and occupation addressing the urgent need to have
for local climate motion and making a adaptable and collaborative work surroundings
that embodies the AIA’s mission and values.” –  EHDD lover Rebecca
Sharkey, AIA

“This headquarters renewal will radically completely transform AIA’s dwelling
for workers, customers, and website visitors by fostering link to the group
serving as a design of stewardship and sustainability for the general public and
profession addressing the urgent require for climate action and developing a
flexible and collaborative perform ecosystem that embodies the AIA’s mission and
values,” claims EHDD spouse Rebecca Sharkey, AIA.

Even though EHDD’s 74-calendar year heritage is steeped in creating new and
revitalized jobs with deep skills in renovation and expansions, this a single
aims better than ever prior to. “It will be a person of the to start with absolutely decarbonized
main renovations in the U.S.,” Sharkey suggests. “Both embodied and operational
carbon from the renovation will be entirely addressed and will display a
charge-helpful path for attaining the AIA 2030 Determination concentrate on of carbon.”

With 2030—and the carbon-neutral targets that come with
it—fast-approaching, and presented the dilapidated state of the creating, there is
no time like the existing for the AIA to embark on this challenge. And even though
funding is continue to underway, AIA has fully commited that member dues will not be
elevated to go over the value of the project.

“Presented the current state of our headquarters, we cannot find the money for
not to make this essential investment in the upcoming of our organization and the
occupation,” stated AIA EVP/Chief Government Officer Lakisha Ann Woods.
“By reworking our office, we will considerably lessen our carbon
footprint and operational charges whilst also ensuring we have the bodily house
abilities to fulfill our foreseeable future demands. I appear ahead to welcoming our associates,
team, and neighborhood to our renewed space once the renovation is
complete.”

“By
reworking our place of work, we will considerably lessen our carbon footprint and
operational expenses when also guaranteeing we have the bodily place capabilities
to meet up with our upcoming needs.” – AIA EVP/Main Government Officer Lakisha Ann
Woods

In addition to furnishing a safer and much more efficient operate and
gathering place for AIA employees and users, the renovation will serve as an
illustration of what can be done in the built setting. To impact transform, AIA
have to lead by example.  

“By demonstrating the highly effective job layout can participate in in strengthening
our communities, we can exhibit how to just take the motion that is necessary to move the
needle on weather action and to make the created atmosphere healthier and safer
for potential generations,” Hart says. “In get to efficiently advocate for these
variations, we ought to begin by taking motion ourselves.”