As part of its continued commitment to sustainability, a green upgrade to the AIA’s 35-year-old headquarters was conceived as part of the AIA’s 150th anniversary last year.

Goals for the Renovation
Called the 21st-Century Workplace Project, the initiative intends to

• showcase the best in sustainable design, products, practices, and methodologies in retrofitting the national component's Washington, D.C., headquarters
• serve as a sustainable design demonstration project for the public and architecture professionals alike, affirming the dedication of the AIA and its members to promoting healthy, safe, and sustainable work and living environments
• serve as a steward of the earth's natural resources and help protect the environment

Fast Facts
Current design: Modern
Completion: 1973
Exterior: Cast-in-place concrete with glass curtain wall
Number of floors: 8
Site area: 29,440 SF (0.676 acres)
Footprint: 17,259 SF
Building: 180,500 SF
Lot coverage: 58.6%
Occupancy: 240 AIA staff on 5 floors (remaining 3 are leased property)


Project Team
Architect: Studios Architecture, Washington, D.C.
Construction: DPR Construction, Falls Church, Va.
Owner: The AIA, represented by James Gatsch, FAIA, project managing director
MEP Engineer: Syska Hennessy Group, Fairfax, Va.
Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates
Lighting Consultant: Atelier Ten, Baltimore, Md.
Sustainable Design Consultant: Sustainable Design Consulting, Richmond, Va.
Historic Preservation Consulting: Hopkins Burns, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Civil Engineer: Delon Hampton and Associates, Silver Spring, Md.
Commissioning and Envelope Design: Simpson Gumpertz and Heger, Rockville, Md.
Landscape Architecture: Landworks Studio, Boston, Mass.
Geotechnical Consultant: GeoConcepts Engineering, Ashburn, Va.


Links to Explore
Sustainability: 50 to 50  |  Walk the Walk   |  AIA Committee on the Environment  |  Sustainability 2030 Toolkit