Bentley & Shaw Contract in NPR's new headquarters: Designer Forum

By Jessica Maples

When the design team at Hickok Cole Architects took on the challenge of joining two structures for NPR’s new 330,000 square foot headquarters, it was determined to both respect the architecture of the existing space and create a high performance workplace. To achieve this goal, the design team took an inside-out approach to the design. NPR’s requirements for function and design goals, such as perimeter circulation, abundant natural light, connection and telling the NPR story, directly influenced the design of the space.

This landmark building—comprised of a repurposed warehouse and seven stories of attached new construction, is a cornerstone for the up-and-coming Washington, D.C. neighborhood known as NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue). The building connects the public to this national brand and satisfies NPR’s desire for a connected, open, collaborative work environment for reporters and staff.

Upon arrival into the building, visitors are greeted by digital scrolling news and moving imagery on a two-story media mosaic that encloses NPR’s largest recording studio. Within this light-filled lobby space, poured white terrazzo flows from the glassy entry into the existing warehouse, where a formal reception area awaits guests. Colored vertical fins on the outside of the building case vibrant blue hues across the terrazzo and concrete floors around the perimeter of the interior space. Featured on three sides of the building, the fins speak to the concept of visualization of sound.

As designers we have the responsibility to select flooring that will perform well for our clients for years to come. In the case of NPR, we were designing a facility that would need to last at least 30 years. The project required flooring materials to be incredibly durable, with a timeless aesthetic that would work with the existing warehouse structure. Terrazzo flooring turned out to be the perfect material. This historic flooring option was one of the materials consistently used to bind the old and new buildings. Other simple materials, including steel, concrete, glass and wood, complement the interior with a visual clarity to match NPR’s famous audio clarity.

The NPR themes of authenticity and honesty carried over to the use of materials and finishes within the building. We wanted the most common materials to appear as though they were uncovered from the original warehouse. We decided on a neutral ground approach for the flooring concept, using white and varying tones of grey for all the flooring to further highlight the vibrant colors on vertical surfaces, such as the blue fins on the building’s exterior.

Another timeless material, important to the overall feel of the space, is the end-grain wood block flooring in the office cafeteria, the Sound Bites Cafe. This warm, engaging space in the corner of the warehouse building is positioned to allow employees direct entry from the street. Metro riders, bikers and pedestrians all take advantage of this entrance to pick up morning coffee, eat breakfast and enjoy impromptu conversations with colleagues on their way into the office. The cafe needed to feel like a part of the building and also act as a true “third place” for staff to get away during the day.

The right flooring choice was critical for creating a cozy atmosphere for eating, meeting and socializing, while blending aesthetically with the old warehouse. The material needed to be warm, industrial and acoustically forgiving, and to allow furniture to move around with ease. These criteria led the team to choose the end-grain hardwood flooring. Unlike typical wood plank installations, end-grain blocks withstand more wear and tear and have a higher hardness and stability factor. For years this material paved city streets and it is still used in factory floors. The hardwood selected for this project is mesquite stained with a rich coffee color and sealed with a matte finish.

To contrast with the warm wood, a concrete and steel mezzanine area was designed to offer a variety of seating options and give the large space a more dynamic landscape. The mezzanine was shaped to include tiered benching capped off by a wooden platform, inviting people to sit. This tiered area is used for internal meetings, staff celebrations and even for watching World Cup games on the projection screen. Sound Bites Cafe feels like the coffee shop around the corner as opposed to the standard office lunchroom. An antique phone booth, a salvaged smoke stack brick wall and recycled newsprint wall covering are just a few details that the design team integrated into the space to add to the historical and cozy feel.

Moving through the building to the newsroom and office floors, there is a consistency in tone and materials used. Over 85% of the building is on raised access flooring, including the central 90,000-square-foot newsroom. Selecting a carpet that would allow floor access and still read monolithic was a challenge for the team. We knew that we wanted a carpet that blended with the tone of concrete, given that it is the dominant material used on the central stair, perimeter circulation and small pantry areas. Following the trend toward rectangular carpet tiles, the 24”x36” tiles gave us the larger format we desired to hold up well on an expansive open newsroom while allowing access to the raised floor below. The Blur pattern, appropriately named by Shaw Contract, adds interest and variation to disguise traffic wear, integrating whites, greys and a blurred charcoal fiber, which matches the steel material used throughout the building. The carpet has a quiet movement that seems to reverberate as one walks across it, contributing in a subtle way to the overall concept of sound and motion.

On the fourth floor newsroom, an area called the “living room” connects to an outdoor terrace, allowing NPR to host catered functions and events while offering staff a setting for relaxing, eating and informal meetings on an everyday basis. The challenge here was to find a material that worked over raised access flooring, could be easily maintained and provided a modern finish to this important corner of the building. We found a terrazzo tile fabricated in Italy from Monotile. The tile product fits tightly together and gives a monolithic appearance that closely matches the level-poured terrazzo on the first floor. Obtaining a beautiful hard surface material such as terrazzo for a raised floor was a win for both form and function.

Sustainability was another major consideration for the project and, in a facility of this scale, it had to be balanced between all of the build elements, including the finishes and furniture. NPR reached a LEED Gold status and has many innovative features within the building’s infrastructure that support a sustainable workplace. Equally important was the wellness of staff and the positive impact that the design could have on behavior and productivity. NPR prioritized its staff’s wellbeing and incorporated outdoor terraces, private rooms, cafes, a fitness center, bike storage, abundant natural light, a central open stair and a variety of flexible work areas. All of these spaces play an important role in the day-to-day lives of the employees.

For a designer, it is most rewarding to see the positive impact of a thoughtfully designed workplace on the engagement of the employees. Every decision, down to carpet selection, directly impacts how a person uses and perceives a space. Our decisions are supported by the project goals, not fads or trends. NPR’s goals of creating a connected organization, respecting the old and telling the NPR story resonate throughout the building and sounded crystal clear to us.

Related Topics:Shaw Industries Group, Inc.

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