8111 Gatehouse Road

The project design is for the repositioning of a 243,000 SF, 1970’s suburban office building. The original building was designed as a headquarter for a major US corporation. The project is located at the intersection of two major highways, 495 and 50 in Merrifield, Virginia. The concept was to reposition this aging asset to accommodate a federal government tenant yet to be determined. The project needed to incorporate the latest government requirements including security, energy efficiency, and be able to be certified LEED Silver or better.

The expression of this design comes from two sources, a response to natural challenges, and the need to create a modern headquarter presence. Although each of the floors had an existing deep overhang providing solar control the owner needed to maximize the buildings square footage. The design team expanded the building floor size by moving the perimeter of the building to the edge of the current slab. The move gained approximately 20,000 SF of additional space.

Based on sun and solar studies and simulations of all seasons, horizontal and vertical Brise-Soleil clad three sides of the building to reduce heat gain from sunlight without sacrificing the beautiful natural panorama surrounding the site. The sun screen along with a quality glazing system would reduce energy consumption by over 35% while providing a provocative and distinctive outer covering of the building.

The main entry floor is expanded approximately 28,000 SF, by enclosing the arcade on the front and adding space on the west side beyond the buildings current footprint. The first floor was reconfigured to better accommodate entry security and additional employee needs. The new design creates a green visual passage through the building from front entrance through to the back side of the building and beyond to the natural landscaping. A distinctive entry pavilion is provided to accommodate security outside the building proper. The new first floor plan accommodated a cafeteria and new conference center and auditorium.

The project design added an additional 46,000 SF, provided significant energy savings, and met LEED criteria for LEED Silver certification.

Location: Washington, DC