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

Like any 50-year-outdated setting up, AIA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters
is exhibiting its age. Antiquated, inefficient techniques are fraying and breaking
down, an evolving place of work tradition has rendered its siloed spaces out of date,
and the Brutalist ideals that formed its large-walled road existence have supplied
way to a need for transparency and engagement. In quick, the developing no
lengthier serves as an efficient or effective place for AIA personnel to function or
members to check out, nor does it finest replicate the
organization’s values.

“AIA’s headquarters ought to provide as an expression of the value
architects deliver and align with the values we uphold as a occupation,” suggests
AIA 2022 President Dan Hart, FAIA. “We have a obligation to redesign this
iconic making to the maximum criteria in sustainability, resilience, and
equity.”

“We have
a accountability to redesign this legendary making to the greatest standards in
sustainability, resilience, and fairness.”  – AIA 2022 President Dan
Hart, FAIA

To have out the building’s very first-at any time comprehensive renovation,
the Board of Directors chosen a project workforce led by San Francisco–based
architecture firm EHDD, with Hood Design and style Studio, Hartman-Cox Architects, and Level Electrical power Innovations as
consultants, and Turner Design Corporation overseeing
construction management. The venture kicked off in 2020, and now AIA is happy
to share the team’s schematic style and design.

The AIA’s headquarters building was intended by The Architects
Collaborative, the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based huge of Postwar Modernism
started by the likes of John Harkness, FAIA, and Walter Gropius. Supposed to
create a statement about Modern day architecture in a intensely Federalist
neighborhood, the setting up employed the reducing-edge technology of its working day. But 50
many years of developments in developing engineering present that the deficiency of insulation
in the concrete walls and the solitary-paned windows are terribly inefficient. Similarly,
authentic techniques these as gasoline-fired boilers do not hold with the sustainable
benchmarks of the day.

If the original building was meant to make a assertion about
fashion, the purpose of the renovation is to reveal the power of architects and
architecture to completely transform the current crafted natural environment for an inclusive and
local climate-optimistic potential.

Due to the fact 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 present creating, relatively than beginning
anew. On the main south- and west-going through façades, set photo voltaic shades previously mentioned
new double-pane minimal-E glazing will lessen warmth acquire and build considerably less of a
load for electrified building systems—all of which will be powered by on- and
off-site renewable energy. A new performative interesting roof below a 125 kW PV array
will further control the thermal resistance of the framework.

A reprogrammed courtyard will invite associates of AIA and the
Washington, D.C., group alike to engage with the setting up. Relocating the
store to the front of the creating alongside New York Avenue will increase
visibility and foot traffic to the website, inviting individuals to store and to remain to
find out much more about architecture.

Inside, the glass-lined atrium is getting reimagined as an interior
garden, leveraging all the wellbeing positive aspects of biophilia to make a extra
dynamic house. The floor-flooring welcome middle will feature landing spaces as
perfectly as galleries that show perform from a various cross-part of AIA associates
and components.

A new reduce level will residence drop-in collaboration and coworking
spaces and amenities these types of as a health middle, mother’s room, library, VR/media
lounges, coffee area, and archives. The second flooring will host the AIA’s
advocacy centre as well as more coworking house and a web hosting suite to deliver
business office and assembly room for traveling to customers. The third- and fourth-ground
workspaces for AIA staff will feature open and enclosed collaborative areas as
very well as open up-prepare workstations and retreats for focused operate along with social
areas that are lacking in the recent set up. This will let more
interconnectivity amongst AIA departments that will streamline units and
advantage customers across the nation.

“This
headquarters renewal will considerably transform AIA’s home for staff, users,
and guests by fostering relationship to the community serving as a product of stewardship
and sustainability for the public and job addressing the urgent have to have
for weather action and generating a adaptable and collaborative do the job atmosphere
that embodies the AIA’s mission and values.” –  EHDD companion Rebecca
Sharkey, AIA

“This headquarters renewal will drastically completely transform AIA’s house
for team, associates, and people by fostering link to the community
serving as a design of stewardship and sustainability for the community and
job addressing the urgent need for local weather action and making a
versatile and collaborative do the job natural environment that embodies the AIA’s mission and
values,” suggests EHDD lover Rebecca Sharkey, AIA.

Though EHDD’s 74-12 months background is steeped in generating new and
revitalized jobs with deep knowledge in renovation and expansions, this 1
aims bigger than ever in advance of. “It will be a person of the very first totally decarbonized
significant renovations in the U.S.,” Sharkey states. “Both embodied and operational
carbon from the renovation will be thoroughly tackled and will display a
expense-productive route for acquiring the AIA 2030 Determination goal of carbon.”

With 2030—and the carbon-neutral targets that occur with
it—fast-approaching, and presented the dilapidated condition of the constructing, there is
no time like the present for the AIA to embark on this undertaking. And whilst
funding is however underway, AIA has committed that member dues will not be
increased to deal with the charge of the task.

“Provided the recent state of our headquarters, we can not manage
not to make this crucial financial commitment in the long run of our corporation and the
occupation,” explained AIA EVP/Chief Government Officer Lakisha Ann Woods.
“By reworking our place of work, we will noticeably reduce our carbon
footprint and operational costs although also making certain we have the bodily space
capabilities to satisfy our long run requires. I seem ahead to welcoming our members,
team, and community to our renewed room at the time the renovation is
entire.”

“By
reworking our office environment, we will noticeably lessen our carbon footprint and
operational fees while also ensuring we have the physical house capabilities
to satisfy our potential requires.” – AIA EVP/Main Government Officer Lakisha Ann
Woods

In addition to providing a safer and extra productive operate and
collecting place for AIA team and customers, the renovation will provide as an
case in point of what can be done in the developed setting. To outcome adjust, AIA
should direct by example.  

“By demonstrating the effective part style can enjoy in improving
our communities, we can exhibit how to just take the motion that is desired to move the
needle on climate motion and to make the developed setting healthier and safer
for long term generations,” Hart claims. “In buy to proficiently advocate for these
alterations, we have to begin by getting motion ourselves.”