Overview
Constitution Center Building Redevelopment
David Nassif AssociatesThe largest privately-owned repositioning project in the nation's capital is complete following a 5 ½-year design and construction process. After winning a three-month design competition, SmithGroup worked carefully with Ownership and an extensive consulting team to prepare Constitution Center as a 21st-century workplace that is highly secure, very sustainable, and a landmark headquarters for prospective tenants. The anticipated 5,000 future employees will enjoy wide-open, daylit spaces made flexible by a strong planning strategy and the use of chilled beams for the HVAC system. A one-acre garden courtyard acts as a welcome amenity, both by access and visual interest, while also working as a green roof above basement garage space for 1,500 vehicles.
Location
Washington, DC
Size
1,400,000 rentable sf above grade
700,000 gsf garage below grade
Cost
$260 million
Industry
Specialized Service
Approach
The Owner's goals were clear and straightforward: reposition this building to become the largest, most secure private office environment in the city, while achieving a high level of sustainability in the process. A careful balance of aesthetic approaches and technical requirements results in a remarkably flexible interior workplace for future tenants. Targeting LEED-NC Gold certification, the integrated design minimizes energy consumption, creating tremendous savings for the Owner's bottom line and a much-reduced carbon footprint.Sustainability
Adaptation and reuse of the original concrete frame represented not only a $60 million savings in project cost, but also greatly reduced the construction schedule and waste stream. Over 75% of the 25,000 tons of waste generated during the repositioning process has been diverted from landfills. Chilled beams, as the primary terminal device in the HVAC system, are the key component to the 22% energy cost savings as a result of the ability to provide required cooling capacity without running the 4,800 ton chiller plant most of the year.
Recognition
"An Energy-Conserving Technology From Europe Makes Inroads in the U.S.," Architectural Record, November 2008
"An Energy-Conserving Technology From Europe Makes Inroads in the U.S.," Engineering News Record, November 17, 2008
"Constitution Center Chills Out," Consulting-Specifying Engineer, May 2008
"Constitution Center Chills Out," Green Scene, February 15, 2008
"The Big Chill," Eco-Structure Magazine, January/February 2008
"Asset Repositioning," Urban Land, September 2007