An interior renovation of a speculative office space required consideration for how a space without a specific tenant could suit a variety of needs. The plan makes sense of and celebrates an irregular floor plate, a common by-product of Washington’s radial avenues.

Building for many uses requires diverse program testing.

Existing plan. The footprint of 818 is highly irregular, typical of office space in Washington, D.C.

New plan. The space separates private offices from communal work areas while maximizing light in the interior spaces by using glazed glass in place of solid walls.

Looking through the main entry, private offices and a reception area align with the building facade, oriented towards Connecticut Avenue.

Section

New office walls coincide with existing columns and vertical ducts, accommodating the underlying framework of the space. A zone of circulation adjacent to the interior core walls provides a direct link between a conference room, pantry, and open plan work area.

A translucent film applied to the glass partitions of the private offices further enhances the soft edge between the two, both creating privacy and drawing daylight deep into the circulatory and open office zones.

Entrance to the conference room

Conference room

The office kitchen and pantry are streamlined and clean.

View towards the reception area.

Have a nice day!