Confidential Professional Services Company Office

HOK designed a professional services firm’s executive office and conference center in Washington, D.C. The team’s guiding principles were to create a flexible, inclusive and sustainable workplace that supports the ever-changing needs of the company’s workforce while embodying the city’s multifaceted character.

The design vision is a unique reflection of D.C., telling the city’s story through art, architecture and a strong sense of place. Each of the three floors expresses a different attribute of the nation’s capital, from personal journeys through the city to D.C.’s position as a world capital and its diverse neighborhoods.

HOK’s team infused the design with a strong hospitality influence from the start. The space offers curated amenities and high-end finishes that subtly reflect the client’s identity. Comfortable furnishings, warm wood finishes, unique accessories and thoughtful lighting create moments for collaboration and social engagement. The color palette features rich jewel tones, complemented by minimalist materials. Key elements include walnut paneling, fumed oak floors, statuary bronze hardware, biophilic green walls, quilted velvet wallcoverings and parametric reception desks.

A large, central staircase serves as a major circulation artery, connecting activity across floors. Strategically located pantries and refreshment areas create welcoming spaces for social connection while offering easy access to quiet nooks for more intimate conversations or individual focus.

The workplace is designed for flexibility, enabling individuals and teams to work across hierarchical boundaries and choose the best setting for their work:

• Reservable focus rooms with height-adjustable surfaces, designed for 1-3 people, offer quiet spaces for focused tasks and small meetings.
• Reservable open-plan bench seating facilitates collaborative work while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to varying team sizes.
• Booths and architectural niches accommodate 1-6 people, promoting spontaneous collaboration and alternative workspaces without the need for advance booking.
• An 1,100-square-foot terrace on the 11th floor serves as both an outdoor collaborative area and a venue for large events.

The team’s neuroinclusive design approach creates spaces that provide staff with various setting options for personal comfort. Backlit features, lighting color and temperature, and acoustic elements shape how users experience the environment. Zero-touch hardware and ceiling-mounted sensors make the space inclusive, intuitive and responsive to the needs of all employees.

The project reinforces the company’s commitment to the environment. Along with earning LEED Platinum certification, it is tracking to achieve WELL Platinum and Net Zero Carbon, making it one of the city’s greenest office spaces.

HOK prioritized diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) throughout the design process. The team reviewed each space for accessibility, employed local artists to shape the project storytelling and partnered with diverse contractors and consultants to create a project as rich and varied as D.C. itself.