1155 F Street

Situated on a half-block site in downtown Washington, D.C., the design introduces an atrium space between the new building and the historic structures, allowing both old and new to retain their architectural integrity even as they are linked by bridges at every floor.

The challenge was to provide a subtle but modern aesthetic that would be a respectful partner to the more elaborate and articulated language of the older buildings. The response includes carefully proportioned expanses of glass, stone, and metal in a warm palette of limestone and bronze that complements the materiality of the existing buildings. Projecting sunshades recall their fine detail in a contemporary way, and a sharp-edged cornice completes the new structure with an abstracted reference to the past.

A six-story atrium links new and existing buildings beneath a 110-foot skylight. The restored rear elevations of the historic structures become a backdrop for this dramatic space, which features structural steel bridges connecting the curtain wall system to the existing masonry buildings.