The architectural studio was commissioned to design the new office for a non-disclosed client in Washington DC’s hip NoMa neighborhood. Also known as the Washington Coliseum that once hosted the first Beatles concert in the US was refurbished into a office and retail development.

With this kind of project, the existing space influenced the design with its concrete vaulted ceiling, factory style windows and industrial views. The design team concentrated on textures rather than colors to celebrate the industrial look of the space and used plants and wood surfaces to balance the space and connect the interior with the exterior. Reflected surfaces were used to create depth and enhance the structure of the space.

The amount of non-transparent vertical elements was minimized to allow natural light to bleed into all parts of the space and create transparency, which was important for the client. Design team used sound absorbing materials in the offices and conference rooms like felt textures panels on walls and ceilings, carpets on the floor and acoustical ceiling tile to create a comfortable environment for everyday use. Artificial light was placed strategically to outline various functions of the space, expose different surfaces, show the geometrical shapes and to have minimum impact on natural light.