451 D Street consisted of an older unit merged with a new addition, creating a lack of cohesion.
The physical level change between the two created a six-step height difference in parts of the floor plan, thus challenging SMMA to unify two different kinds of architecture spaced about four feet apart. Though the team could not level floor differences, they were able to create a consistent interior journey for its tenants and visitors through the building’s materials.
Historic architecture helps to unify the space.
Preservation efforts came through the exposure of its textured brick walls. To further join the floor plate and merge textures, brick veneer was added from the open office area to the rest of the office. They also exposed brilliant terracotta arches and carried visible acoustical ceiling clouds throughout the building, showing off large concrete mushroom-shaped columns from the new addition and making the space feel substantial.
The 451 D Street floor plans also demanded an informed spatial planning strategy to differentiate elements throughout the large area, providing visual guidance and room for a small client center on the 8th floor. The building had a natural divide of space due to its 475-foot by 100-foot floor plate: the elevation change, elevator lobbies, and building core spaces forced the office into different “neighborhoods” that required a uniquely balanced number of amenities and room types.
SMMA designated conference rooms, huddle rooms, breakout spaces with alternative seating options, open lounge seating, and high-top seating options for each designated neighborhood. They also adapted rows of unassigned bench workstations in the open office areas.
The client center includes a large boardroom that can seat 22 people and three other conference rooms. The lobby also incorporates its own pantry and a warm oak reception desk.
SMMA adapted the company’s color palette to more sophisticated gray tones through porcelain tile, fabric-wrapped acoustical panels, and linear carpet patterns. These touches elevate the space and emphasize a certain refinement for its visitors. Other key design elements in the building, such as the brick veneer and carpet wayfinding, link the center back to the rest of the interior.
