Lida Lewis
PASSIONATE DESIGNER
EDUCATOR | THOUGHT LEADER
One Virginia Square
One Virginia Square, or 3601 Wilson Boulevard, is an office building in Arlington, VA that was looking to improve its amenity offerings to tenants. Engaged by building management, we were tasked with putting our expertise to work for ownership and the leasing team in providing desirable amenities in this previously amenity-free space.
One of the best things about working with a building owner and leasing team on such a project is that it affords us all the opportunity to bring our best ideas to the table. The Project Management team and I worked with the building representatives in ownership and leasing to create a schedule and pricing design concepts for a wellness and amenity center that we could send to our GC for a gut-check on pricing for the overall project. I worked with my internal team and the independent Project Management consultant to identify solutions to multiple on-site challenges--a previously unanticipated 2.5' level change from the lobby, major electrical panels, and code compliance challenges. Even before that pricing came back, it became clear that cost savings over the original visioning sessions were desirable. So, the designers on my team and I started getting creative with material and lighting selections that would maximize the original intended impact, while creating savings before the pricing was even complete.
Selling the design concept often requires visualization of the intended impact, and this design was no exception. I created a 3D model in SketchUp, which the team also used to build our model in Revit. The resulting "Ralph Lauren" inspired, tailored design provided a wealth of simple yet impactful details. Displacement ventilation was planned for comfort in the tenant lounge areas, which we opened up to the original full ceiling height. Drapery and hospitality style furnishings provide a casual place to gather for all tenants, adjacent to both a future retail coffee spot and a large, well appointed divisible conference room. Seating ~175 in an auditorium setup, this space was supported by the lounge, a catering pantry, and a smaller break out conference room. The conservative yet lush aesthetic coordinated well with the newly renovated lobby, and was applied with a lighter touch in the wellness space planned for the opposing side of the floorplate. The resulting space provides a wealth of much-sought-after amenities for this semi-urban northern Virginia location, one which the full team feels will be both a worthwhile investment and a strong driver for optimal tenancy.
