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This project redefines the high-security workplace. Mitigating the pressures of closed spaces, introducing art, natural light, natural environments, and a sense of community, this design make our defenders more effective and our nation more secure.
“The design for IDA Headquarters in Potomac Yard fulfills the vision of a landmark office building that anchors this new community. While meeting the client’s need for security, the project successfully embraces the new street grid and the new plaza by orienting the main lobby and cafeteria to these more public elements and placing other secondary secure entrances in less prominent locations.”
After many years of master planning, the collaborative vision of IDA’s new headquarters became a reality at the burgeoning Potomac Yards.
Security features were top of mind due to the nature of the work that IDA does—yet the team of KGD found ways to fortify the property without it looking like a fortress. The attractive glass frontage lets plenty of natural light shine in to create luminous collaborative spaces that are forever flexible. Ample views of ground-level secured greenspaces bring in nature.
Green roofs above the conference center provide staff and visitors with outdoor areas to connect with nature. The fitness center on the upper floors opens out to an internal courtyard with views of Washington DC’s skyline and monuments. IDA’s campus anchors a newly developed mixed-use neighborhood. A new Metro station, still under construction, will make commuting to the Pentagon convenient.
In collaboration with IDA management Staff, information collected from the staff through surveys, focus groups and outside consultants were used to determine the approach to designing the best learning environment for the country’s brightest minds.
IDA was designed to operate like an educational facility as opposed to an everyday office building. KGD’S choice to approach this project as an educational facility was centered around creating an environment that supported collaboration, connection, innovation and safety. Creating an encouraging space that supports the physical and mental health of staff at IDA was critical to transforming the everyday experience of the staff.
KGD’s design prioritized access to sunlight, outdoor views which are proven to bolster the physical and psychological health of office workers, as well as the use of circadian lighting – lighting that is designed to have a biological impact on the human circadian system by mimicking outdoor light change throughout the day.
Because IDA is a federally-funded organization and military budgets fluctuate, they wanted to have workspace that could be leased to another organization—yet keep building security intact. KGD designed a two-building solution, one of which can be leased out when prudent; an enclosed bridge connects both buildings. Construction was well underway when the COVID-19 Pandemic occurred—giving rise to an HVAC pivot that included enhanced filtration with UVGI to reduce the spread of infectious diseases to safeguard the health of the staff, so IDA’s headquarters stays operational under hazardous conditions.
This new headquarters is a complex that proves that a secure and safe facility can also offer serenity to the people who work in the building, day in and day out.
The sightline to the Pentagon from the site informs the angles of the HQ building. This divergence from the block grid allows greater views to the public park to the south. At ground level the line of the street is maintained.
Art galleries and art installations allow the public visual access. Connections to science and art are embedded throughout the workplace. Integrated natural materials, patterns, shapes, and colors are found throughout.
Art plays an important role in alleviating symptoms of stress and enhancing performance. Viewing artwork helps workers to restore mental energy and relaxing the mind. The incorporation of the art gallery aimed at creating an atmosphere that fosters creative thinking and encourages productivity. The mission of IDA in binary code is reflected in the perforated panels screening the lobby and garage, while the mathematical patterns of the auditorium and light spirals of infinity in the open stairwells tie with the scientific and analytical expertise of IDA’s research staff, celebrating the mission of the company. Morse code is used in the carpet to provide layers of meaning.
The mission of IDA in binary code is reflected in the perforated panels screening the garage, while the mathematical patterns of the auditorium and light spirals of infinity in the open stairwells tie with the scientific and analytical expertise of IDA’s research staff, celebrating the mission of the company. Morse code is used in the carpet to provide layers of meaning.
“IDA now has all of our Virginia staff housed in a single facility in a more productive environment. Staff and management could not be happier with the final design and looks forward to many years of occupancy.”
